Hollow Way Medical Centre provides primary medical services to patients from Cowley and the surrounding area. The practice does not provide out of hours care from the practice but has arrangements for this service to be delivered by a dedicated out of hours provider. Information for patients on how to contact out of hours services is displayed at the practice and on their website. It is also included in the answer machine message for patients who telephone the practice out of hours.
During this inspection we spoke with patients, members of the patient reference group and staff including GPs, the practice manager, nurses and receptionists.
Services at Hollow Way Medical Centre were delivered safely and there were systems to monitor, maintain and improve safety. Sufficient numbers of staff with the skills and experience required to meet patients’ needs were employed and there was enough equipment to enable staff to care for patients. Staff followed best practice guidance and worked with other services to deliver effective care to patients. The practice was caring and treated patients with dignity and respect. Patients’ privacy was maintained and support provided in order for them to make informed choices about the care they wished to receive. The practice was responsive to individual needs of patients and access to services was facilitated in a wide variety of ways. There was a clear leadership structure with an open culture that adopted a team approach to the welfare of patients and staff. The practice took into account the views of patients and those close to them as well as engaging staff when planning and delivering services.
Patients over the age of 75 had been allocated a dedicated GP to oversee their individual care and treatment requirements delivered in the practice or in the patient’s own home.
Mothers, babies, children and young people had access to dedicated specialised staff as well as dedicated clinics and health promotion materials.
The practice made provision for the working-age population and those recently retired with some evening appointments and Saturday influenza innoculation clinics as well as telephone consultations.
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.