Riverside Medical Centre is registered with CQC to provide primary care services, which includes access to GPs, minor surgery, family planning, ante and post natal care. It provides GP services for 10,753 patients living in the Castleford area. The practice has five GP partners, a salaried GP, a senior nurse manager, a nurse practitioner, a triage nurse, four practice nurses and three healthcare assistants. It is a teaching practice and had a trainee GP in post at the time of the inspection.
The practice is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm. Patients can book appointments in person, via the phone and online. The practice provides a triage service so patients can discuss their condition with a nurse who, depending on the patient’s symptoms, either advises on treatment or arranges an appointment with one of the practice’s clinicians. The GPs also provide telephone consultations each afternoon. The practice treats patients of all ages and provides a range of medical services.
The practice is registered with the Care Quality Commission to deliver the regulated activities:
- Diagnostic and screening procedures
- Family planning
- Maternity and midwifery services
- Surgical procedures
- Treatment of disease, disorder or injury
The practice had a very good track record for maintaining patient safety. They worked collaboratively with five other practices in the area to look at how they could continually improve the service and learn lessons from any incidents that had occurred in the patch.
The patients we spoke with and who completed the CQC comment cards were extremely complimentary about the care and treatment being provided.
Staff were responsive to patients’ needs. They had set up and maintained a very active patient participation group (PPG) and readily listened to their views and suggestions.
The building was well-maintained and very clean. Effective systems were in place for the oversight of medication. Clinical decisions followed best practice recommendations.
We found that the leadership team was very visible. There were good governance and risk management measures in place.
The practice safely and effectively provided services for all patient groups. The staff were caring and ensured all treatments being provided followed best practice guidance.
We found that the practice had met the regulations and provided services that were safe and effective.