Dr Robertson and Partners (known as Marcham Road Family Health Centre) is a GP practice situated on the site of Abingdon Community Hospital. The practice has approximately 12,500 registered patients. The practice provides a range of primary care services for patients.
We spoke with patients about their experiences of care at this practice and also looked at written feedback from patients about the quality of services. All of the patients we spoke with gave positive feedback about the practice and staff. We reviewed the results of the last patient survey undertaken in 2014. This showed patients were generally pleased with the service they received, but highlighted some areas for development. For example, making an appointment. The practice had taken steps to address these areas.
The practice was patient-focused in its approach to care and treatment. It provided information and support to help patients understand their care and treatment and help them make informed choices. The practice ran a number of specialist clinics to help patients manage their long term conditions. GPs and nurses had specialist areas of interest and provided advice and support to other GPs and nurses within the practice.The practice opted out of providing out of hours primary medical services for its patients. Outside of surgery hours patients were able to access emergency care from another Out of Hours service.
We found the practice did not operate effective systems to reduce the risk and spread of infection. The practice had an infection control lead and appropriate infection control policies and procedures. However, staff did not always following the procedures and audits to identify risk of infection were not regularly conducted. We found the provider was in breach of the regulation relating to infection control.
The practice met the needs of the population it served. Older patients at the practice had a named GP who oversaw their health and care needs. GPs conducted home visits to ensure patients who had difficulty accessing the practice received appropriate care and treatment. Patients with long term conditions told us their conditions were managed well. GPs and nurses had specialist areas of interest and training for long term conditions and provided specialist clinics to patients. Mothers and babies were supported by a service which had links with the local health visitors. Child immunisation clinics were run regularly.
The practice offered regular health checks to patients with poor mental health and patients with a learning disability. Patients who were carers were identified and offered additional support. The practice offered online appointment booking to ensure patients could access the service in a variety of ways. The practice did not offer any late evening or weekend opening to enhance access to patients who worked.Please note that when referring to information throughout this report, for example any reference to the Quality and Outcomes Framework data, this relates to the most recent information available to the CQC at that time.