The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Dr AMJ Bower and Partners Also known as Bow Medical Practice

Overall: Outstanding read more about inspection ratings

Iter Cross, Junction Road, Bow, Crediton, Devon, EX17 6FB (01363) 82333

Provided and run by:
Dr AMJ Bower and Partners

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Dr AMJ Bower and Partners 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 Dr AMJ Bower and Partners, you can give feedback on this service.

5 December 2019

During an inspection looking at part of the service

We carried out an announced focussed inspection at Dr AMJ Bower and Partners on 5 December 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 (either deterioration or improvement) to the quality of care provided since the last inspection.

This inspection focused on the following key questions:

  • Are services effective?
  • Are services well led?

Because of the assurance received from our review of information, we carried forward the ratings for the following key questions:

  • Are services safe? (Good)
  • Are services caring? (Outstanding)
  • Are services responsive? (Outstanding)

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 and
  • information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.

We have rated this practice as good for providing effective and well led services because:

  • People had good outcomes because they received effective care and treatment that met their needs.
  • Information about people’s care and treatment was routinely collected, monitored and acted upon.
  • The practice organised and delivered services to meet patients’ needs. Patients could access care and treatment in a timely way.
  • The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care.
  • Clinical and internal audit processes functioned well and had a positive impact in relation to quality governance.

The practice was previously rated as outstanding for providing responsive care for all population groups. Therefore, the overall rating for all population groups remained as outstanding.

The areas where the provider should make improvements are:

  • Review how consent is recorded in the patient record, particularly for procedures such as minor surgery.
  • Continue to implement actions to improve uptake for cervical screening.

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

3 November 2015

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr AMJ Bower and Partners known as ‘Bow Medical Practice’ on 3 November 2015. Overall Bow Medical Practice is rated as outstanding.

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

  • Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns and report incidents and near misses. The practice had a low threshold for reporting so that all opportunities for learning from internal and external incidents were maximised.
  • The practice used innovative and proactive methods to improve patient outcomes, working with other local providers to share best practice. The non clinical business partner chaired the pan Devon and Mid Devon practice manager’s forums and was a practice manager representative on the local medical committee.
  • Feedback from patients about their care was consistently and strongly positive.
  • The practice worked closely with other organisations and with the local community in planning how services were provided to ensure that they meet people’s needs. The hospital based diabetic service was being extended to provide appointments at a local community hospital following feedback from the practice.
  • The practice implemented suggestions for improvements and made changes to the way it delivered services as a consequence of feedback from patients and from the patient participation group.
  • The practice had good accessible facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs. Information about how to complain was available and easy to understand

We saw several areas of outstanding practice including:

  • The practice has a strong vision, which puts quality, effective care and treatment as its top priority. The partnership is structured with distinct roles and responsibilities, utilising the experience and skills of partners to the full. As a result, all business and clinical matters are delivered effectively at the practice.
  • The practice provides truly holistic patient centred care. Many examples were seen demonstrating that patients were treated with dignity and received compassionate care. Carers and patients verified that GPs went above and beyond what was expected of them, for example providing 24 hour/7 day telephone access and support for vulnerable patients receiving end of life care.
  • The management of the quality and health outcomes for patients at the practice is based on a comprehensive and responsive approach to local need. A proactive approach towards self-management and health is delivered in partnership with the Patient Participation Group. For example, patient support groups have been set up for patients. These include a walk and talk group to improve fitness and reduce the risk of social isolation.
  • The leadership at the practice inspired a shared purpose, which was aimed at providing patient services closer to home. A GP held qualifications enabling them to provide acupuncture to patients for pain relief. Another GP was supervising a community healthcare worker with a post graduate qualification so that they would be able to provide additional treatments, such as steroid injections, which would normally be carried out at the hospital.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice