DDA member Exmoor Medical Centre in Dulverton, Somerset, has been given an outstanding rating for measures such as Responsive and Well Led.

Contributing to its Well-Led rating, inspectors saw the practice proactively use performance scorecards to monitor areas such as dispensing reviews, and to improve services.

In the safety domain, the practice was seen to have improved the security and monitoring of blank prescriptions, for example, by logging the serial numbers of blank prescription forms within clinical rooms so they can easily be tracked through the practice.

Among the significant events recorded and actioned by the practice were fridge failures due to significant multiple winter storm events. Inspectors found that the practice had reviewed their fridge temperature standard operating procedures and process for downloading fridge data loggers after adverse weather.

Inspectors applauded the practice’s policy of reviewing medicines safety alerts and communicating actions taken and outcomes with other members of the clinical team using internal IT systems. There were examples of actions taken on recent alerts relating to medicines stocked within the dispensary and those that had been prescribed to patients.

The practice had developed a medicines monitoring system that ensured all patients were monitored and reviewed.  Patients were offered an extended single appointment, reducing the need for additional appointments. This followed feedback from patients who were rurally isolated who found it difficult to attend multiple reviews throughout the year.