CQC
The PPG congratulated the surgery on achieving their ‘Good’ rating following a comprehensive inspection on 4 May 2023.
The surgery was rated ‘Good’ in all 5 areas inspected and was rated ‘Good’ overall. When the CQC has given an ‘Inadequate’ rating, the best that can be achieved on the next inspection is ‘Good’.
There are 4 ratings the CQC can be given, Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement and Inadequate.
The surgery can be inspected again at any time.
The aim of the surgery is to gain an ‘Outstanding’ rating at their next inspection with proposals, plans and procedures already in place to achieve this.
Health Apps
The surgery explained the patient benefits of using the NHS and Air Mid UK health apps.
Patients are able to order repeat prescriptions, obtain blood test results, cancel appointments, view their health records and much more…all from their smartphone!
The apps are available to download onto your phone from Apple App Store/Google Play and there are tutorials available online too.
If patients already have the NHS app, they can use the same login to log into the Air Mid UK app.
The PPG asked if there were any NHS organisations that could visit the surgery to help and support patients using the apps on their phones, the PPG also offered to support where possible. The surgery will look into this.
Practice Numbers
Before the first CQC inspection, there were 11,300 patients registered with the surgery.
This number did drop following the ‘Inadequate’ rating, however, since the ‘Good’ rating was given, the number of patients has risen again and currently stands at 11,000. New Clinicians will be joining the team later in the year.
Car Park
Concerns regarding the availability of car parking spaces for patients were discussed again.
The surgery are aware of the problems faced by patients and are currently working through different solutions.
PPG Facebook Page
The PPG now have their own independent Facebook page…’Orchard Surgery PPG’ The page will be used to gather feedback as well as share information and messages. The PPG invited the surgery representatives to view and share the page.
Veteran Friendly Practice
The PPG had previously asked if the surgery would consider becoming a ‘Veteran Friendly Practice’.
The surgery previously responded saying the practice could not apply to be accredited as such until they were out of the special measures put on them by the CQC.
As the surgery is now rated as ‘Good’ and all special measures have been removed, the surgery will apply to be accredited as a ‘Veteran Friendly Practice’.
More details on this will follow once accreditation has been given.