Oxfordshire’s GP Out of Hours Service has been categorised as ‘good’ in all five key measurements in a new report published the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Inspectors have judged the service is good quality – safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.

The GP Out of Hours (OOH) service serves a population on 774,368 patients and operates 365 days a year at six bases throughout Oxfordshire at:

• East Oxford Health Centre
• Witney Community Hospital
• Abingdon Community Hospital
• Townlands Memorial Hospital, Henley
• Bicester Community Hospital
• Horton General Hospital

The service is accessed via the NHS 111 service and, after assessment by call operatives, can involve a visit to an OOH base, a home visit or telephone advice.

The CQC carried out its inspection in September and its judgement is based on a combination of what inspectors found during their visit, information from on-going monitoring of data, information provided by Oxford Health, patients, the public and other organisations.

A previous inspection in March 2018 found the service’s well-led category required improvement, though the overall service rating was good.

Eighteen months on it was found Oxford Health had completed all necessary action in the well-led area allowing Dr Rosie Benneyworth, the CQC’s Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services and integrated Care, to declare compliance with all regulations.

The CQC’s full published report is available https://www.cqc.org.uk/location/RNUX3#accordion-1