THE company which saved Minehead’s only medical centre 18 months ago has been given an all-round ‘good’ rating by health service regulators.

Leeds-based OneMedical Group took over Minehead Medical Centre in January last year after it closed without warning following news that regulator the Care Quality Commission (CQC) was about to suspend its care provider.

Now, CQC inspectors have visited the surgery and given it a ‘good’ rating across all five key areas, marking a significant transformation under the management of OneMedicare, part of OneMedical Group.

The practice was last inspected in December, 2023, and the service was rated ‘inadequate’ under the previous provider.

When it closed, OneMedicare was appointed as caretaker provider the following day to ensure continued access to care for the local community.

In the past 18 months OneMedicare has implemented new leadership, overhauled internal systems, and stabilised operations, leading to full compliance and positive patient outcomes.

The CQC noted the team demonstrated a strong understanding of their patient population and were committed to improving health outcomes, with no elements of care falling below expected standards.

Both patients and stakeholders provided positive feedback throughout the inspection, with the surgery’s patient participation group also confirming members’ feedback had been actively considered.

Medical centre operations manager Katheryn Antonelli said: “It certainly has been a challenge over the past 18 months, but being part of OneMedicare, along with a superb team on site, has meant we have been able to rise to those challenges and achieve a good CQC rating.

“I am very proud of the whole team.”

OneMedical Group and OneMedicare chief executive and co-founder Rachel Beverley-Stevenson said: “We recognise it has been a challenging period for the team at Minehead, but throughout, they have shown real dedication to our patients.

“What has been especially inspiring is how they have embraced being part of the wider OneMedical Group family, getting involved in internal events, living our values, and bringing a real sense of energy to the group.

“We are incredibly proud of everything we have achieved together and we are excited to support our Minehead team in the next chapter of the practice’s journey.”

NHS Somerset director of primary care Sukeina Kassam said: “I am delighted with the incredible efforts of the team at Minehead.

“Their hard work and commitment to improving care have led to impressive progress in a very short time, especially after the challenges following the suspension of the previous provider.

“It is heartwarming to see the atmosphere within the staffing team now, which is very different from when I visited two years ago, there is a real sense of collaboration and dedication.

“This rapid and positive change shows the resilience of everybody involved, and I am excited to see how they continue to enhance the service for our patients in Minehead.”

The medical centre serves 11,700 patients across West Somerset and Ms Antonelli said it ‘remains focused on continuous service improvement and delivering high-quality NHS care’.

More information about the medical centre and how to register online can be found on its website.