This service is rated as Outstanding overall.
The key questions are rated as:
Are services safe? – Good
Are services effective? – Good
Are services caring? – Good
Are services responsive? – Outstanding
Are services well-led? – Outstanding
We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Cumbria Medical Services on 8 November 2022 in line with our inspection priorities. This is the first time we have rated the service being provided from this address.
Cumbria Medical Services Limited is registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide primary care services to patients in Cumbria.
Our key findings were:
- The service 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. Outcomes for people who used the service were consistently good.
- People were truly respected and valued as individuals and were empowered partners in their care. Feedback from people who used the service was continually positive about the way staff treated people.
- The leadership drove continuous improvement and safe innovation was celebrated.
- Services were tailored to meet the needs of individual patients. They were delivered in a flexible way that ensured choice and continuity of care.
- The way the service was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care. There was strong collaboration across all staff and a common focus on engaging with patients and other services to improve quality of care and people’s experiences.
We saw several areas of outstanding practice:
- People who used the service were active partners in their care and were consulted at each stage about where and when they would like to be seen. Patients told us they felt reassured and cared for by all staff at the service. As a result, patient feedback about care at the service was highly positive.
- Due to the difficulties experienced in recruiting doctors in Cumbria, the service offered a bursary to local students who wanted to study medicine in order to encourage more people from Cumbria to train as medical professionals. Three people had taken advantage of this scheme this year with 4 accessing it in 2021. They were also funding a dermatology diploma for a local GP to gain more experience in dermatology. In addition, a practice nursed had received the necessary training and mentorship to carry out minor operations.
- At the time of inspection, the average waiting time was 4 weeks and for some clinic’s patients were often seen within 2 weeks, despite the service setting a target of seeing all patients within 8 weeks. Extra clinics were scheduled if waiting times reached 6 weeks, or if patients would have to travel too far to attend. We checked appointment availability during the inspection and saw that there were dermatology and minor surgery appointments times kept free in order to provide flexibility and urgent appointments.
Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSC DCH FRCA
Chief inspector of Hospitals and interim Chief Inspector of General Practice