Fremington Medical Centre - Case Study

Serving more than 7,800 patients across North Devon, Fremington Medical Centre required a cleaning partner capable of maintaining consistently high standards of cleanliness, infection prevention and communication within a busy healthcare environment.

As a GP surgery with 34 staff members and 6 partners, maintaining compliance with the National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness 2025 (NSoHC 2025), Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) guidance and Care Quality Commission (CQC) expectations is essential to protecting patients, staff and visitors.

That is where Dart FM Services Ltd stepped in.

Prior to partnering with Dart FM Services Ltd, the surgery experienced ongoing operational challenges with its previous cleaning arrangement. These included missed cleans, inconsistent communication and concerns around maintaining the level of cleanliness expected within a healthcare setting.

For a medical centre supporting vulnerable and immunocompromised patients daily, these concerns carried significant importance.

Sarah from Fremington Medical Centre explained:

“Patients are coming into the surgery every day because they have health concerns or needs; their immune systems may be compromised. We as a practice and our patients expect a high level of cleanliness and it was very clear this was not being met and it wasn't acceptable.”

The practice needed a local healthcare cleaning company in Devon that could provide:

• Reliable daily cleaning cover

• Strong communication and accountability

• Consistent infection control standards

• Structured healthcare cleaning training

• A proactive long-term working relationship

After meeting with several recommended cleaning providers across Devon, Fremington Medical Centre selected Dart FM Services Ltd due to the company’s local presence, healthcare cleaning knowledge and hands-on management approach.

The surgery wanted reassurance that:

• Cleaning standards would remain consistent

• Staff absences would be properly managed

• Communication would be transparent

• Training would be tailored specifically to the surgery environment

• Compliance with CQC and IPC expectations would remain a priority

As a specialist provider of healthcare cleaning services across Devon and the South West, Dart FM Services Ltd demonstrated a strong understanding of:

• National Standards of Healthcare Cleanliness 2025

• Infection Prevention & Control (IPC)

• BICSc good practice

• GP surgery cleaning requirements

• Healthcare audit procedures

Dart FM Services Ltd implemented a structured mobilisation and support plan designed around the operational needs of the surgery.

During the transition period, company directors Damian and Alex personally attended site and completed cleaning duties themselves until permanent staffing was recruited — ensuring no interruption to service delivery.

Key improvements introduced included:

• Recruitment and onboarding of dedicated cleaning staff

• Two weeks of on-site practical training alongside management

• Monthly healthcare cleaning audits

• Communication books for cleaner-to-practice communication

• Direct management contact and rapid response support

• Ongoing monitoring aligned to healthcare cleaning standards

Sarah commented positively on the approach taken:

“Communication has improved greatly and we were impressed with the training process they had in place. They worked alongside the cleaners for two weeks to ensure they knew our expectations.”

Since appointing Dart FM Services Ltd, Fremington Medical Centre has experienced significant operational improvements.

The surgery confirmed that there have been no missed cleans since Dart FM Services Ltd took over the contract.

The practice described the surgery as “visibly cleaner” and stated that staff feel more confident in the cleanliness and infection control standards being maintained.

The implementation of communication systems and responsive management support created a more collaborative working relationship between the practice and cleaning teams.

The surgery now feels more assured that healthcare cleaning standards, IPC procedures and CQC expectations are being properly supported and monitored.

Beyond cleaning services, Dart FM Services Ltd also supported the practice through the Dart Supplies division by helping reduce the cost of consumables and stationery through streamlined ordering and competitive pricing.

“DART care about the service they provide and are passionate about what they do. They have a high level of cleanliness but are always striving to improve in any way they can and are always looking at ways they can save us money on consumables which is refreshing.”

Sarah also highlighted the strength of the ongoing relationship:

“We have a good relationship with DART. They are honest and very proactive at getting things done if we voice any concerns. They want to work together and support us.”

Both Fremington Medical Centre and Dart FM Services Ltd remain committed to continuous improvement and strengthening their partnership further.

Future development plans include improving digital audit accessibility and continuing to refine communication processes to ensure the surgery maintains the highest possible standards of healthcare cleanliness and compliance.

Dart FM Services Ltd provides specialist healthcare cleaning services, contract cleaning and facilities support across Devon and the South West.

With experience supporting GP surgeries, medical centres and healthcare environments, Dart FM Services Ltd helps organisations achieve:

• Reliable healthcare cleaning

• CQC-ready environments

• IPC-compliant cleaning procedures

• Monthly audits and reporting

• Responsive local support

• Professional, trained cleaning teams