Inspectors praise surgery's growth from one GP

A doctors' surgery that was once operating with just one GP has been praised for its "dedicated staff team".

Alston Medical Practice, located in rural Cumbria, was left with one GP in 2021 due to recruitment issues, but was rated outstanding in 2022 when it joined Cumbria Health.

In an inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in April and May, the practice was again rated outstanding for being well-led and caring and good for being safe, responsive and effective.

Head of General Practice at Cumbria Health, Carrie Martin, said it was a "fantastic achievement" adding "providing healthcare in rural areas brings unique challenges", but the team went "above and beyond".

The inspection at the surgery, which provides GP services to about 2,200 people in and around Alston, was carried out as part of the CQC's continual checks on services.

Linda Hirst, CQC deputy director of operations in the North East, said the practice was "led by exceptional leaders supported by a dedicated staff team putting people at the heart of everything they did to deliver the best possible care".

"People gave overwhelmingly positive feedback about the care they received, including how easy it was to make appointments, how kind and approachable staff were and how the doctors really listened to people," Hirst continued.

The report found staff had "involved people in medication reviews and helped them understand how to manage their condition".

It added people knew what to do and who to contact if their condition didn't improve or they experienced any unexpected symptoms.

The report continued: "All staff should be extremely proud of the care they're providing to people.

"They clearly work hard to provide an exceptional GP service to the people experiencing health inequalities in their locality and other practices should look to this report to see what they can learn," it read.

Cumbria Health said it was "incredibly proud of our Alston team for this fantastic achievement".

"The outstanding rating is a testament to their commitment, resilience and dedication to the community," Martin said.

"Providing healthcare in rural areas brings unique challenges, but the team continually goes above and beyond to ensure local people can access high-quality care," she added.

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