The Cedars Surgery - Worle Health Centre

About the practice

The practice operates from two sites. The main site, The Cedars Surgery, is a converted bungalow with five fully equipped GP consulting rooms, four nursing clinical rooms and a treatment room. There is a large open office for the management and administrative team to work, which promotes openness and team working. There is a staff room upstairs, plus kitchen facilities just off the reception area.

The branch site is a purpose-built health centre with two GP consulting rooms and four nursing clinical rooms, a large waiting room and separate offices for the administrative staff.

Because the practice is based over two sites, there is a particular focus on getting teams together to promote working as one unit, with regular social meetings throughout the year, as well as a Christmas party.

The practice offers a mix of pre-bookable and on the day appointments and patients can request to be seen by a specific GP. All GPs offer telephone consultations and there is also an ANP who does three mornings a week of telephone triage and offers afternoon face-to-face appointments.

The Cedars Surgery offers minor surgery clinics, implant and coil insertion/removals, and several GPs can give joint injections.

The Cedars actively collaborates with other practices in the area, is an active member of the Weston locality group and interfaces with the Worle area practices too.

Working environment, values and culture

The team at the Cedars put patients first, promotes fairness to both patients and staff, and strives to provide excellence in all areas.

The team is open, friendly and professional, and sees the importance of having fun at work. There is a culture of looking forward to going to work and nurturing and promoting this. If anyone has an issue, the team pull together to support that colleague.

The practice is proud of their incredibly low staff turnover.

There is an open, friendly, no-blame culture. The management and GP team are always willing to help when asked. There is a real team spirit that is noted by patients, as well as new staff.

As the practice is based over two sites, regular social events enable the team to get together.

Staff feedback is promoted at all times. The management team operates an open door policy and regular appraisals are carried out with staff. Regular team meetings allow for staff to vocalise any concerns and the two sites are able to telephone each other by direct dial if they have any urgent concerns.

What we offer

The practice is positive about flexible working and aims to work with staff to find a working pattern that suits them.

The Cedars Surgery often offers part-time working.

Staff can benefit from unpaid leave when needed and agreed, paid maternity/paternity/adoption leave, plus a childcare voucher scheme.

Learning and development

For new staff, learning and development begins with a full induction.

All staff are shown around the practice and introduced to staff. The new staff member is then taken through documentation with the Practice Manager or Deputy Practice Manager before beginning. The team then works with the new member of staff to create a personalised induction plan. New team members are encouraged to sit in on other clinics before having their own. The team aims to ensure that all new staff are working within their own comfort zone.

All staff development is fully supported with funding for approved training, exams and paid leave for study days.

Once a month the GPs/ANPs attend educational training which counts toward their CPD, as well as further study days.

GPs, ANPs, nurses and HCAs attend alternate weekly clinical meetings. There is also a nurse meeting every other week, a whole staff meeting once a month, plus a separate GP and ANP meeting once a quarter. There is always a duty doctor working to handle any immediate issues.

Our patients

The practice has many younger and older people, the vast majority white British, with a deprivation score of 1.0.

The Cedars Surgery has an average friends and family score in the 80s, frequently receives thank you letters from patients and many patients come to the practice on recommendation.