Canberra Old Oak Surgery trailblazing approach to patient care praised by CQC after ‘Good’ inspection rating
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) carried out their inspection of Canberra Old Oak Surgery in late 2022, with the practice securing a rating of ‘Good’. The CQC report praised the practice’s “commitment to supporting its patients and local communities in tackling the social and health related challenges they face.”
The CQC report highlighted a wide range of positive examples of quality care. These included the practice’s proactive approach to managing referrals, test results, health checks and providing care to patients with long-term conditions.
The CQC also focused positively on the practice’s clinical hub and the use of multi-disciplinary teams. This is welcome recognition of the team’s commitment to trailblazing national NHS policy on the use of digital, tech and multi-disciplinary working.
Close ties with local communities also stood out, with CQC inspectors noting how the practice recruits, adapts their services and runs outreach sessions to engage with and meet the needs of the populations they serve.
“I am extremely proud of the team for the hard work they put into providing care to our patients. We have a number of social issues faced by our patients such as poverty, poor physical and mental health, and lifestyle. A number of our patients have also fled disasters in their country of origin. We have been able to adapt the practice to meet these particular challenges, for example flexibility around appointment times and recruiting from within the local community so patients feel more comfortable discussing their needs. As a practice, we will continue to support our patients and the wider community. Our patients are our number one priority and I’m pleased for the whole team that the CQC report shows what we are about – great care.”Abubakr Osman, North West London Regional Manager
Other areas highlighted in the report include:
- The holistic approach to caring for older patients living with moderate or severe frailty which included their physical, mental and social needs.
- Diversity of the practice staff.
- The increased number of nurse appointments available in the evenings and weekends to make it easier for working patients to be seen.
- Lifestyle events for patients to have their height, weight and BMI checked, receive healthy eating and exercise advice and be referred to weight management services.
- The extensive staff training in place.
- The practice’s leadership, especially its compassion, inclusiveness and effectiveness.
The practice is operated by AT Medics, part of the Operose Health Group. Nationally, 97% of all Operose Health’s practices are rated as Good or Outstanding by the CQC.
To read the full report, click here