The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has found concerns regarding the quality of care at two GP services based in Swindon. Both practices were inspected by the CQC in February 2021 and were rated Requires Improvement overall.
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust took over the management of both services in November 2019 from the previous provider, Better Health Partnership LLP, part of IMH Group.
Following the recent inspection, Moredon Medical Centre was rated Good for being effective, caring, and responsive to patients’ needs and Requires Improvement for being safe and well-led. The practice retains its overall rating of Requires Improvement.
Meanwhile, Abbey Meads Surgery was rated Good for being effective, caring, and responsive and Requires Improvement for being safe and well-led. The overall rating for the practice has improved from Inadequate to Requires Improvement.
Andy Ford, Head of General Practice for London and the South, said, “Inspectors were previously aware that there were a number of failings at both Moredon Medical Group and Abbey Meads Surgery, to the extent that we placed Abbey Meads into special measures. Under the management of the new provider, significant improvements have been made across both locations since the previous inspections in January 2020. Patients we spoke with reported positive changes in access to appointments and getting through to the surgery on the phone. Practice staff described the positive culture and change in the working environment.
“There is still work to do in both services. However, we found the staff at both practices had worked steadily to ensure that improvements were made and were thoroughly embedded before they moved to the next steps.
“We will continue to monitor both practices and will return in due course to find what further improvements have taken place.”
