A FACEBOOK page and a fridge – not what you would expect to give a doctors’ surgery the boost it needed.

But they were some of the things that helped staff at the Montgomery House Surgery in Bicester secure a “good” in their first Care Quality Commission inspection.

The Piggy Lane surgery’s report also highlighted outstanding care for families, children and young people.

Surgery partner Dr Ellen Fallows said: “We are obviously very proud.

“We have been putting a lot of work into it and we have made lots of changes which they were quite impressed with.

“We had time to read into how the CQC conducts its inspection as it is all a very new system.

“I am proud of how we all pulled together and wanted to make sure we are doing the best for our community.”

Changes prior to the inspection included creating a Facebook page for better communication with visitors. The surgery also invested in external audits including a mock inspection which suggested buying an extra fridge to allow more room for dispensary medication.

It is the first inspection carried out by the watchdog at the surgery since it launched its Ofsted-style rating system at the end of 2014.

A rating of “good” was awarded in four out of five areas –safe, caring, responsive and well-led.

The report said the surgery was “highly responsive” to the needs of patients and that patients said they were treated with “compassion, dignity and respect” and that they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.

Practice manager Sarah Arnall said: “I think it is wonderful that they highlighted the staff.

“We are really pleased with it.

“We were especially pleased to get outstanding in children and young people.

“They also said how caring the staff are right through the surgery.

“We really feel we’re are at a very good stage at the moment and are very optimistic about the future.”

A mark of “requires improvement” was given for effectiveness, which related to patients not attending ‘invitational treatment’.

The surgery records the patients that are invited in for treatment, such as for asthma or high blood pressure, but do not turn up.

After three invitational letters are sent, a mark is put in the patient’s notes to stop them affecting surgery targets for treatment.

Officers felt the number of patients marked for not coming in was higher than the national average.

Dr Fallows said: “We are now doing an audit why people are not coming in – whether they can’t get an appointment or don’t like us. We are looking into the reasons.”