Pioneer Medical Group

About the Practice

One of the largest practices in Bristol, Pioneer’s three sites across the north of the city - Avonmouth, Bradgate, and Ridingleaze - are all purpose-built premises that are easily accessible by public transport, have parking and newly installed secure bike racks to support the bike to work scheme.

The practice offers bookable in advance and same day appointments for both the Nursing and GP teams. All appointments are available to book online. There is a dedicated urgent care team including duty doctors, care co-ordinators, paramedics and  nurse practitioners. Home visits are undertaken by an experienced team of paramedics.

The size of the practice offers scope to be creative and innovative in how services are delivered to patients, plus the patient population means services can be trialled and offered at scale.

The practice is a leading contributor in primary care research.

Pioneer has achieved an outstanding CQC rating for all three of its sites and is Innovation of the Year Award Winners, for Best use of Technology and Merger of the Year.

The practice is part of the North and West Locality, Northern Arc PCN with Shirehampton, Southmead and Henbury.

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Working environment, values and culture

The practice mission is to be accessible, responsive and caring.

Pioneer has a friendly professional environment that creates a passion to continuously do better for both the team and their patients. The team is open to new ideas and proud to have a culture of openness and trust.

92% of staff feel that people from different disciplines/backgrounds work together as a well-co-ordinated team. 89% feel that Pioneer welcomes and utilises input/suggestions from the team, while 95% report that problems are addressed and fixed effectively to improve the quality of care.

Despite being a large practice over 3 sites, the practice has retained a personal feel with both patients and staff, seeing itself as a part of the communities in which it operates. Aligning Pioneer to the needs of those communities means that healthcare is just one part of this continually evolving system.

The team believes that there is always a solution or an improvement to be made and that nothing should ever be placed in the ‘too difficult box’.

The teams work approach and knowledge sharing allows for all teams to grow and develop making Pioneer an exciting place to work for everyone.

There is a robust team meeting structure that includes monthly safety, business and clinical meetings, plus regular whole team social events.

What we offer

Because the practice is large, it offers the opportunity to proactively work with individual staff to provide flexible working and still ensure a safe accessible service to our patients.

Pioneer also offer a childcare voucher scheme and cycle to work scheme.

Learning and Development

New staff benefit from a bespoke induction programme, complete with a buddy and mentoring scheme. Induction usually take place over at least two weeks to ensure the training and pace is suitable for the role being recruited for.

Pioneer is an A-rated training practice and delivers teaching to all five undergraduate years.

New team members benefit from our 30 years’ experience of being a teaching and training practice, a programme of mentoring, in-house teaching and professional development, plus formal and informal discussions.

Each member of the team has a personal development plan, study leave is actively encouraged and funding can be provided for approved training and development.

All salaried clinical staff have buddies from the senior team and regular one-to-one sessions, plus weekly alternating clinical and business meetings.

Being on one EMIS platform makes it very easy to evolve a virtual discussion around any patient and this is encouraged to get the most from a team of clinicians with extended expertise and interest in a wide variety of areas. This includes dermatology, respiratory, paediatrics, women's health issues and even ethical and medico-legal conundrums. The daily mid-morning break for coffee is always a useful moment for face-to-face peer conversation.

Our Patients

The practice covers a large geographical footprint with pockets of significant deprivation. 36% of the population have no qualifications, 38% do not own a car, 22% of households are lone parents and the rate of disability claims are almost twice the Bristol average.

“A surgery that always tries that little bit harder.” - Patient NHS Choices

“I am writing to congratulate you and your team on the exceptional quality of care that has come together to mean that you have been rated as outstanding.” - Department of Health