Chagford Health Centre

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

We looked for evidence staff involved people in decisions about their care and treatment and provided them with advice and support. Staff regularly reviewed people’s care and worked with other services to achieve this. At our last assessment, we rated this key question as good. At this assessment, the rating remains the same.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

We did not look at Assessing needs during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.

We did not look at Delivering evidence-based care and treatment during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.

We did not look at How staff, teams and services work together during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.

The service supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to maximise their independence, choice and control. The service supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support.

Staff focussed on identifying risks to people’s health, including those in the last 12 months of their lives and those with caring responsibilities.

Staff told us when completing long-term conditions reviews, they took a holistic view and focused on lifestyle and alternative therapies people were self-medicating with which could affect prescribing), as well as management of the condition. They worked with people to help them understand how their lifestyle impacted on their condition.

The service provided a walking group for the local community. People who used the service could also attend strength and balance classes (structured, evidence-based programs designed for older adults or those at risk of falling, focusing on improving mobility, stability, and functional strength through seated or standing exercises). These classes were often oversubscribed in terms of people requesting to attend, due to the popularity of the class.

The mental health and wellbeing coach had implemented a service for young adults, which was based on making positive changes using shadow work (addressing unconscious triggers and patterns, reducing mental health issues and improving relationships) and transformational breathing exercises (a therapeutic breathing technique designed to improve physical health, emotional balance, and mental clarity). GPs reported that uptake for this service had increased significantly, meaning it had been extended to people of all ages.

During the Covid pandemic, members of the friend and patient group (FPG) created a website to ensure people could access support groups and guidance during this time. Since the end of the pandemic, the website has been maintained and remains accessible to people who use the service as well as the local community. The website provided information regarding Chagford Health Centre and the FPG and includes links to health and wellbeing, spiritual and physical support services and events being held within the community.

Feedback from people who use the service was positive. Comments included: “The service deserves recognition for the positive impact they have on their patients’ health and wellbeing” and “The entire team works hard to maintain a high standard of service, ensuring positive impact on peoples wellbeing and not just their health”.

The service routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured outcomes were positive, consistent and met the expectations of people themselves.

The service met 4 of the 5 national targets for the uptake of childhood immunisations. Evidence showed uptake has historically been below national targets, the service recognised people’s rights to exempt their children from receiving immunisations.

Verified data for cervical screening available at the time of this assessment was from June 2024, showed the service had met the national uptake target of 80% for people aged 50-64 year olds but had not met the national uptake target of 80% for 25-49 year olds. The service had taken action to improve this, including taking part in a complex cervical screening programme to implement strategies to address people’s hesitancy for cervical screening and improve uptake. They also sent cervical screening information to people at the age of 24. This enabled people to book appointments to discuss options and gain further information, before being contacted at the age of 25 for routine screening.

The service performed better than the England average in relation to cancer screening programmes, including breast and bowel cancer.

Staff told us they had constructive conversations with people who used the service, in relation to childhood immunisations and cervical screening, considering both medical and induvial views and had processes for people to have vaccines and screening, should they change their mind. For example, a person who had not previously received any vaccines or immunisations, opted back into the programme and had now received all vaccines they were eligible for.

The service submitted 3 clinical audits. These covered medicines and health conditions, which they had conducted to improve outcomes for people using the service. GPs and the practice manager held regular clinical and all staff meetings, which monitored outcomes, where the findings were shared.

We did not look at Consent to care and treatment during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Effective.