The Care Quality Commission has found the quality of care provided by Sole Bay Health Centre in Southwold, Suffolk, to be Outstanding following an inspection in November.
Inspectors found the practice was providing a safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led service that meets the needs of the population it serves.
A full report of the inspection has now been published and is available on this website.
Under CQC’s new programme of inspections, all England’s GP practices are being given a rating according to whether they are safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led.
The report on Sole Bay Health Centre highlights a number of areas of outstanding practice, including:
- The Southwold Care Services Improvement Partnership (CSIP) project reflected the complex needs of the older population, with the majority of individuals supported being over 85yrs. The practice was in the process of discussions with the clinical commission group for an adjoining plot of land to be developed into the Sole Bay Health and Care Home as an extension to the work already undertaken by CSIP.
- The practice had instigated the Sole Bay Care Fund, this was an independent registered charity run by local trustees to provide short term emergency care, resources and equipment not normally funded by the NHS or Social Services. The fund provided immediate care and support to those patients with an acute medical or social care need and in many cases was effective in reducing unnecessary hospital admissions by providing short term care in the home or as near to home as possible.
Janet Williamson, Deputy Chief Inspector of General Practice and Dentistry in CQC’s Central region said:
“It is clear Sole Bay Health Centre is providing an effective, responsive and well led service which is a real asset to the people living in this part of Suffolk.
“Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment. We found many positive examples to demonstrate how patient’s’ choices and preferences were valued and acted on. In addition, views of external stakeholders were very positive and aligned with our findings.
“There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
“Staff also understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.
“All of this hard work pays off in making a real difference to patients – which is why we have found this practice to be Outstanding.”
Ends
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Find out more
Read our reports about Sole Bay Health Centre.
We found many positive examples to demonstrate how patient’s’ choices and preferences were valued and acted on.
Janet Williamson, Deputy Chief Inspector of General Practice and Dentistry, Central region