The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Litchdon Medical Centre

Overall: Outstanding read more about inspection ratings

Landkey Road, Barnstaple, Devon, EX32 9LL (01271) 323443

Provided and run by:
Litchdon Medical Centre

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Litchdon Medical Centre 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 Litchdon Medical Centre, you can give feedback on this service.

5 November 2019

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out an announced focused inspection at Litchdon Medical Centre on 5 November 2019 as part of our inspection programme.

We carried out an inspection of this service following our annual review of the information available to us including information provided by the practice. Our review indicated that there may have been a significant change to the quality of care provided since the last inspection. This inspection focused on the following key questions: Effective and Well Led.

Because of the assurance received from our review of information we carried forward the ratings for the following key questions from our previous inspection in 2015: Safe (Good), Caring (Good) and Responsive (Outstanding). We have rated the practice as Outstanding overall.

The provider has a registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.

We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:

  • what we found when we inspected
  • information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services
  • information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.

We have rated this practice as good for providing effective services because;

  • Proactively working on pilot schemes in North Devon improve care at local care and nursing homes
  • Outcomes for patients were consistently better than expected when compared with similar services, as shown in the quality outcomes framework (QOF) achievements of the practice.
  • Staff were consistently supporting patients to live healthier lives through a targeted approach on health promotion and prevention of ill health.
  • The development of staff skills and competence was recognised as integral to ensuring high quality care.

We have rated this practice as outstanding for providing well led services because:

  • The leadership has built upon the foundations of their existing achievements and moved the practice forward with continuous improvement.
  • The leadership, governance and culture drove the delivery of high quality person centred care. High standards were promoted and delivered by all practice staff with evidence of clear communication across all roles.
  • Leaders had an inspiring shared purpose and strove to deliver and motivate staff to succeed. There was strong collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
  • The leadership drove continuous improvement and staff were accountable for delivering change. There was a proactive approach to seeking out new ways of providing care and treatment.

Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.

Dr Rosie Benneyworth BM BS BMedSci MRCGP

Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and Integrated Care

7 July 2015

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Litchdon Medical practice on 7 July 2015.

Overall the practice is rated as outstanding.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

  • There was a strong commitment to providing co-ordinated, responsive and compassionate care for patients, particularly people with mental health needs.
  • Urgent appointments were available the same day but not necessarily with a GP of the patient’s choice.
  • The practice had good facilities including disabled access and recognised there were areas of the building which could be improved in consultation with disabled patients.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available. The practice actively sought patient views about improvements that could be made to the service and worked with the patient participation group (PPG) to do this.
  • The practice proactively sought to educate their patients to manage their medical conditions and improve their lifestyles. Additional in house services were available and delivered by staff with advanced qualifications, skills and experience.
  • There were systems in place to reduce risks to patient safety for example, infection control procedures.
  • Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following current practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles.
  • The practice used audits and had shared information from one of their audits with other practices to promote better patient outcomes.

We saw areas of outstanding practice:

  • The practice had a strong vision which had quality and effective care and treatment as its top priority. High standards were promoted and delivered by all practice staff with evidence of clear communication across all roles and with external agencies.
  • All staff were actively engaged in activities to monitor and improve quality and health outcomes for people. The practice was involved in a national pilot to provide education about healthy living to patients identified at risk of developing diabetes. Data for 2014/15 showed that the practice performed highly for monitoring and treating patients with diabetes and had completed 100% of reviews with patients.
  • The practice takes a truly holistic approach to assessing, planning and delivering care and treatment to people who use services. In particular, for people who are suspected to have or are diagnosed with dementia. Their care and treatment is overseen by a GP partner with extensive experience and works closely with hospital specialists in the older people mental health services. All of the staff have had dementia care training and several examples were seen demonstrating that patients were treated with dignity and received compassionate patient centred care.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

17 January 2014

During a routine inspection

We visited the surgery and we met and spoke with nine people. This number included two representatives of the Patient Partnership Group (PPG). We spoke with GPs, practice nurses and healthcare assistants who were on duty. We obtained information and support from the administration staff which included the temporary practice manager and receptionists. We observed how the surgery was run and looked at some of the facilities and information available to patients. We used information from the services own quality monitoring and from the PPG.

When we spoke with people about their experiences of the surgery they told us they were very happy with the treatment and support they received. We heard comments such as 'Excellent', 'Brilliant' and 'Always a positive experience.' Of the nine people we spoke with only one person expressed they felt their treatment had not run smoothly, they told us 'Each doctor I see has a different idea.' However, they did add they were not specifically worried by this and on the whole they found they had the care and treatment they needed.

People told us about their experiences with staff of all levels at the surgery. People were very happy and found that staff were approachable, friendly and supportive. People said, 'Staff are usually lovely,' 'Able to speak to them, approachable and listen,' and 'Very polite.' People told us this had not always been so, one person told us, and 'Things have really improved, no problems.' They found the atmosphere at the surgery comfortable, professional and not impersonal.