We carried out a review of the data available to us about Westbank Practice on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.
This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.
If you have concerns about Westbank Practice, you can give feedback on this service.
This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous inspection November 2014 rated Good)
The key questions are rated as:
Are services safe? – Good
Are services effective? – Good
Are services caring? – Good
Are services responsive? – Good
Are services well-led? - Good
As part of our inspection process, we also look at the quality of care for specific population groups. The population groups are rated as:
Older People – Good
People with long-term conditions – Good
Families, children and young people – Good
Working age people (including those recently retired and students – Good
People whose circumstances may make them vulnerable – Good
People experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia) - Good
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Westbank Practice on 7 November 2017 as part of our planned inspection programme.
At this inspection we found:
The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.
The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence based guidelines.
Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it.
There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice
Westbank Practice was inspected on Tuesday 4 November 2014. This was a comprehensive inspection.
Westbank Practice provides primary medical services to people living in the town of Exminster, Devon and the surrounding areas. The practice provides services to a homogeneous population group and is situated in a semi-rural location. The practice has a strong sense of its long history, local identity and strong links to the local community it supports. There has been a medical practice in Exminster since 1718. The practice team endeavours to create an environment where it is good to be a patient and good to work at the practice.
The Westbank Practice has a branch in Starcross. The Westbank Practice covers six villages and the local population is rapidly expanding. The practice supports an area of 60 square miles on the west bank of the river Exe. Housing development in this area means that the practice anticipates 1000 new patients now and a further 6000 planned in the next five years to the North of the practice. As a result the practice is currently taking measures to anticipate local medical infrastructure and development need. The practice is liaising with local council, neighbourhood development group, Teignbridge District Council and the planners, and involving the local councillors and MPs.
At the time of our inspection there were 8,102 patients registered at the practice with a team of six GP partners and two trainee GPs.
Patients who use the practice have access to community staff including district nurses, community psychiatric nurses, health visitors, physiotherapists, mental health staff, counsellors, chiropodist and midwives.
We rated this practice as good.
Our key findings were as follows:
Patient feedback about care and treatment was extremely positive. The practice had a patient centred culture. Practice staff were well trained and experienced. Staff provided compassionate care to their patients. External stakeholders were extremely positive about the practice.
Westbank Practice was very well organised, clean and tidy. The practice had well maintained facilities and was well equipped to treat patients. There were effective infection control procedures in place. Patients enjoyed relatively easy access to appointments at the practice. Patients had a named GP which improved their continuity of care.
The practice had a clear leadership structure in place and was well led. Systems were in place to monitor quality of care and to identify risk and manage emergencies.
Patient’s needs were assessed and care is planned and delivered in line with current legislation. This includes assessment of capacity and the promotion of good health.
Recruitment, pre-employment checks, induction and appraisal processes were robust. Staff had received appropriate training for their roles and additional training needs had been identified and planned.
Information about the practice provided evidence that the practice performed comparatively with all other practices within the clinical commissioning group (CCG) area.
Patients told us that they felt safe with the practice staff and confident in clinical decisions made. There were robust safeguarding procedures in place. Significant events, complaints and incidents were investigated. Improvements made following these events had been discussed and communicated with staff.
We saw several areas of outstanding practice including:
An active patient participation group (PPG) who had made significant contributions to the positive development and improvements to the practice. The practice PPG has been selected by the clinical commissioning group to create a video setting out how to set up and run a PPG, for their guidance and good governance to be shared with other PPGs in the region and nationally. The practice and the PPG had an outstanding level of mutual support and understanding.
The practice had undertaken to provide primary medical services to a local travelling community who had been refused treatment at other practices which were closer to their location. Their circumstances made them a difficult to reach and potentially vulnerable group. Staff at the practice had discussed and agreed to provide services to this group which showed an outstanding level of caring and responsiveness.
Clinical audits were often linked to medicines management in order to improve outcomes for patients. For example, an audit into disease modifying anti rheumatic drugs had led to further research being completed on this area. GPs at the practice had produced guidelines and a protocol to follow which was considered outstanding by the CCG.
Chief Inspector of General Practice