• Doctor
  • GP practice

The Meadows Surgery

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Canal Way, Ilminster, Somerset, TA19 9FE (01460) 52284

Provided and run by:
Symphony Healthcare Services Limited

Important: The provider of this service changed. See old profile

Latest inspection summary

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Background to this inspection

Updated 21 June 2019

Symphony Health Services Limited (SHS) is the registered provider of The Meadows Surgery. SHS is an NHS health care provider, based in Somerset that was developed as part of the South Somerset Symphony Programme. This is a project which aims to create new and innovative ways to delivering high quality care to patients, strengthening and supporting primary care in the local area. At the time of this inspection, SHS were delivering services from nine registered locations and four branch surgeries.

SHS have been providing a service from The Meadows Surgery, Canal Way, Ilminster, Somerset
TA19 9FE since November 2018. The Meadows Surgery is provided from one location. General Medical Services are provided to approximately 3,652 patients. The practice is situated in a purpose-built building in a residential area of the town of Ilminster. This is a dispensing practice with a small dispensary. Information about The Meadows Surgery can be found on the practice website www.themeadowssurgery.co.uk

According to information from Public Health England the practice area population is in the seventh least deprived decile in England. The practice population of children is similar to local and national averages at 18%. Likewise, the practice population of working age is above local and national averages by approximately 10%. The practice population of patients living with a long-term condition was below the local and national averages at 40%, the CCG being 58% and national being 54%. Of patients registered with the practice, 99% are White or White British.

The provider has told us the practice team is made up of two salaried GPs which means overall the practice has the equivalent of 1.5 WTE (whole time equivalent) GPs at the practice. The Registered Manager is currently the Medical Director of the provider organisation. There are other clinicians available at the practice including an advanced nurse practitioner (ANP), an urgent care practitioner and emergency care practitioners (ECPs), practice nurses and one trainee nurse associate/ HCA level three. The practice manager is supported by administrators, secretaries, and reception staff.

When the practice is not open patients can access treatment via the NHS 111 service.

The practice provides family planning, surgical procedures, maternity and midwifery services, treatment of disease, disorder or injury and diagnostic and screening procedures as their regulated activities.

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 21 June 2019

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Meadows Surgery on 7 May 2019 as part of our inspection programme following the change in the provider in November 2018.

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 overall and good for all population groups other than long-term conditions which we rated as requires improvement.

We found that:

  • The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm.
  • Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs. Although work was in progress to improve the support provided to patients with long term conditions.
  • Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.
  • 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.
  • The integration with a new provider had worked well and not impacted negatively on the provision and support to patients.

Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:

  • Continue with a programme of monitoring and support for patients with long-term conditions so that their needs were met.
  • Continue to monitor and review that staff vaccination was maintained in line with current Public Health England (PHE) guidance and if relevant to role.
  • Continue with ensuring the actions required following the fire risk assessment are completed in a timely way.
  • The provider should continue to monitor cervical smear screening to meet Public Health England screening target rates.

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