CQC rates The Great Britain Cycling Team Medical Facility as outstanding

The Great Britain Cycling Team Medical Facility is an independent health service that provides care exclusively to cyclists who are part of The Great Britain Cycling Team World Class Programme. Care is available to people aged 16 years and above and the service operates from the National Cycling Centre in Stuart Street, Manchester.

This was CQC’s first inspection of the service. It has been rated as outstanding for being effective and well-led, and rated good for being responsive, safe and caring.

Alan Stephenson, CQC deputy director of operations in the north-west, said: “At this facility, we found a service providing exemplary care which gave riders the best possible outcomes and support to enable them to perform as well as possible.

“Riders on the World Class Programme and professionals across British Cycling were overwhelmingly positive about the service, describing the medical team going out of their way to support the health and wellbeing of riders. We found that the medical team played a central role in the team’s cycling success.

“The team had a proactive approach and collaborated consistently with riders and the wider GB Cycling Team to manage their physical and mental health wellbeing. Staff focused strongly on empowering riders to maximise their ability to manage their own health, care and wellbeing needs, alongside their performance goals and aspirations.

“Rider’s goals, abilities, aspirations and unique backgrounds were celebrated and supported by kind and caring staff, and everyone was fully involved in their care planning.

“Staff supported people’s mental health as well as physical and ensured riders could access care at other services when they were touring. The medical team led advancements in female rider health, particularly in assessing and supporting riders continue to train and compete during pregnancy, and those returning postpartum.

“Leaders and staff at this service should be very proud of the findings of this report. It’s clear the facility was committed to treating people as individuals and ensuring they receive exemplary care and support. Other services should look to this report to see if there’s anything to learn from it.”

Inspectors found:

• Leaders embedded, maintained and continuously improved a culture of openness and collaboration.
• Riders were involved in planning their care and understood options around choosing to withdraw from or not receive care.
• Leaders were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, and had developed a psychologically safe environment where riders and staff could speak up and raise concerns.
• Staff were highly motivated and consistently felt well-supported by leaders.
• The service shared relevant learning with other sport professionals and provided guidance to the public and community-level sport coaches to improve grassroots facilities.
• When riders joined the World Class Programme, the medical team provided care alongside mandatory cardiology screening and referrals where required to respiratory screening with a specialist.
• The medical team collaborated with GB Cycling Team experts to ensure that the facilities, premises and equipment protected the welfare of riders.

The report will be published on CQC's website in the coming days.