A health and social care regulator has found the quality of care provided by Robin Lane Health and Wellbeing Centre in Pudsey to be ‘outstanding’.
During an inspection last year, Care Quality Commission inspectors rated the practice as Outstanding for effectiveness, well-led and responsiveness, and Good for safety and caring.
Inspectors could see that patients had good access to appointments and telephone consultations, which included appointments during extended hours; early morning, evenings and on Saturdays.
CQC’s Chief Inspector of General Practice, Steve Field, said:
“With increasing demand on A&E departments it was extremely encouraging to note that the practice, through operating a walk-in service, had reduced A&E attendance by 10%. In addition the practice was able to evidence an overall reduced demand for appointments in the usual bookable clinics by 26%.
“There was some exemplary practice being undertaken at the surgery. It had developed a Care of the Elderly pathway, aimed at those patients who were housebound, at a high risk of hospitalisation or residing in a care or nursing home. They employed a practice matron who specifically focussed on the care and support for this group of patients. As a result, the practice could evidence a 23% reduction in unplanned hospital admissions for this population group.”
He said that the service had developed a health and wellbeing centre where patients and members of the local community could attend and added:
“Practices across the region and indeed the country could learn from the Wellbeing Centre. For example, their ability to work difficult-to-reach-patient-groups. Through a public health campaign, the practice operated an annual Leeds wide outreach programme for those patients who were not currently registered with a GP practice. These patients were supported to register with the practice and referred to other health and social services as appropriate.
“There are many examples of how the Robin Lane Health and Wellbeing Centre, from all that I have seen and read about this practice I can say that it inspired me.
“It demonstrates what can be achieved with excellent leadership, vision and teamwork. I offer them my sincere congratulations. It is an exemplary practice delivering top class, patient-centred care and thoroughly deserves its rating Outstanding.”