School House Surgery

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• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

We assessed all quality statements for this key question and found the practice provided a caring service. Staff treated people with kindness and compassion, and maintained their privacy and dignity. We observed a strong patient-centred culture. Patients were treated as individuals and care was tailored to their needs.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

We found most people were positive about the experience of care and treatment they received at the practice in the last 12 months. The results of the most recent GP patient survey showed the responses were in line with national averages. This included overall experience of the practice, being treated with care and concern and feeling the healthcare professional listened to them. Feedback to CQC was positive and included comments about kind, helpful and supportive staff.

Staff and leaders told us they were committed to their staff and delivering high quality, patient focused care. They gave us examples of how they treated patients with kindness, compassion and dignity. They told us they treated patients on an individual basis and respected patient choice. There was a care coordinator for the primary care network, who worked with the practice and coordinated care with a holistic view of care for the patient. Although part of this role was to support carers and signpost to other services, they told us this aspect of the role had not yet started.

During our site visit we observed staff speaking with patients in a kind and dignified manner. There were arrangements to ensure confidentiality at the reception desk. For example, a private room was available if patients were distressed or wanted to discuss sensitive issues. We saw posters in the waiting room that encouraged patient feedback through questionnaires, complaints and compliments. We also saw posters advising patients that chaperones were available.

We found the majority of people were positive about their experience of care and treatment they received at the practice in the last 12 months. Positive comments included that staff were understanding and supportive. The negative comments related to the practice failing to make adjustments for communication needs, and lack of care towards patients suffering poor mental health.

Staff treated people as individuals and took into account their needs and preferences. Staff understood and respected the personal, cultural, social and religious needs of patients. Staff and leaders demonstrated a clear understanding of the individual needs of patients and were able to describe adjustments made when necessary to support these needs. There was a carer’s register and the practice told us they were developing their initiatives to identify and support carers. They told us less than 1% of patients were registered as carers and they believed this was not reflective of the current number, which they predicted was higher. We were provided with evidence to describe their improvement plans. This included developing a standard operation procedure to work with other services, including the local carers network, and to reconcile their list with the local council. Following our assessment, the practice updated us that due to their recent initiatives, the number of patients registered as carers had increased to 2.2%

Patients had access to interpreters, home visits and longer appointment times where required. There was a hearing loop at School House Surgery, however at the time of our visit staff were unable to locate this at the branch site Church Surgery. Multi-disciplinary meetings and cross organisational working helped support vulnerable patients. This included those requiring end of life care, patients suffering poor mental health, and safeguarding concerns. Staff were required to undertake specific training to improve their own knowledge and understanding of how to support patients. This included equality and diversity training, as well as training on learning disability and autism.

We found most people were positive about the experience of care and treatment they received at the practice in the last 12 months. We received positive comments about the information provided to patients and the advice to help them understand their condition.

Staff and leaders all talked about providing a supportive approach, ensuring patients were empowered to be involved in their care and treatment. They told us a social prescriber worked 2 days per week at the practice and provided support to patients.

Patients were supported to have choice and control over their own care and make decisions about their care, treatment and wellbeing. Referrals were made to services to support improved health and general wellbeing, for example smoking cessation and weight loss services. Patient information leaflets and notices were available in the patient waiting area, which told patients how to access support groups and organisations.

We found most people were positive about the experience of care and treatment they received at the practice in the last 12 months.

Staff we spoke with knew how to respond to patient’s immediate needs and how to recognise when urgent help or support was required. Staff told us they engaged patients in discussions about their immediate needs. Patients were given appropriate and timely information to cope emotionally with their care, treatment or condition. Leaders and staff were able to describe systems in place to support patients requiring urgent care or assistance. Leaders told us they ensured appropriate staff were available throughout the day to support patients in case of an emergency.

Staff told us that they felt respected and valued, and that managers were supportive. Staff made comments about feeling optimistic about the future and felt the leaders listened to their thoughts and ideas. Leaders told us they were continuing to make improvements and demonstrated a commitment to staff wellbeing.

Policies were in place and these covered areas including bullying and harassment, lone working, and reasonable adjustments. Staff rotas were maintained, and efforts were made to ensure appropriate staffing levels to support adequate work breaks.