Cardinal Medical Practice

On this page

• 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 from this key question. Our rating for this key question is Good. The National GP patient survey, published in July 2024 found of the 5 indicators for people’s experience, 2 were below the England average and 3 were in line with the England average. However, people we received feedback from during the assessment reported that they were treated with kindness, dignity and respect, they were listened to and able to ask questions about their care. We observed staff to be friendly and helpful with people at the reception desk and on the telephone. People’s individual needs and preferences were understood and where possible, they were offered choice in their care and treatment. Staff involved people in decisions about their care and treatment and provided them advice and support. Arrangements were in place to respond to people’s immediate needs. Practice leaders promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported them in their work.

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.

Feedback we received regarding the clinical care and attitude of clinical staff and attitude of non-clinical staff was mainly positive. People told us they were treated with care, and staff were kind. We noted some negative feedback was about specific staff who no longer worked at the practice. Care home representatives were positive in how visiting clinicians treated people with respect and dignity and confirmed people’s privacy and confidentiality was maintained. We reviewed the National GP patient survey, published in July 2024. 2 indicators, treating people with care and concern and how good the health care professional was at listening to you were in line with the England average. 2 indicators, confidence and trust in the health care professional and experience of the GP practice were below the England average. The practice collected feedback from the friends and family test. In the previous 12 months, 70% of people responded good or very good to their experience of the service.

Staff gave examples of how they treated people with kindness, compassion and dignity. For example, where a person experienced a bereavement, the practice offered support and signposted to appropriate support services. Staff gave examples of how they protected people’s privacy and confidentiality.

During our onsite visit we observed many examples of people being treated with kindness and respect by practice staff. Staff were friendly and helpful to people on the telephone and at the reception desk. Notices were displayed at each site to inform people that a private room was available if they wanted to discuss a sensitive issue or if people were distressed. Clinical rooms had privacy curtains. Privacy covers were in use in the reception areas, so people’s information was not able to be seen. There was a culture of kindness and respect between colleagues.

We reviewed the National GP patient survey, published in July 2024. The indicator for being involved as much as you wanted to be in decisions about your care and treatment was in line with the England average. Care home representatives gave examples of when people’s individual needs had been considered by practice staff.

Staff and leaders told us that people’s individual needs and preferences were understood and reflected in their care, treatment and support. This included people’s social, cultural and religious needs.

The practice had systems and processes to ensure people’s communication needs were met, to enable them to engage in their care and treatment, and for them to be supported to maximise their experience and outcomes. Staff were required to undertake specific training to improve their own knowledge and understanding of how to support different people. This included training on equality and diversity, safeguarding and learning disability and autism awareness. The practice was an Armed Forces Veteran Friendly accredited GP practice. Information about sources of support were available in the practice and on the practice website.

Feedback we received was positive with people’s individual needs and choices being considered during care and treatment decisions. Care home representatives told us people were involved in their care and treatment decisions, and carers who knew people well were involved in supporting this.

Staff demonstrated a supportive approach to ensuring people were empowered to be involved in their care and treatment decisions. Staff supported people to make informed decisions about their care, and in some cases with their carers, when appropriate. This included discussions about care, and treatment options to decide on what would work best.

There were systems and processes in place to promote people’s independence and control over their care and treatment. Information leaflets and notices were available in the waiting areas at the 3 sites and on the practice website which advised people how to access a range of support groups and organisations. Staff had received care navigation training and could signpost people to a range of services, for example the community pharmacy. Staff actively referred people to social prescribing for support with their wellbeing and social issues. The practice had employed an Access and Digital Care Co-ordinator whose role was to support people by telephone and face to face, to improve digital inclusion.

People who provided feedback for this assessment had no specific views or concerns in this area. Care home representatives told us they were able to obtain support to meet people’s immediate needs. Examples were given in relation to end of life care.

Staff knew how to respond to people’s immediate needs and how to recognise when urgent help or support was required. Staff told us about systems and training in place to support this, which included guidance and training on sepsis, the use of panic alarms, and the availability of emergency medicines and equipment. The practice had a duty GP and a supervisory GP available every day who were available for advice and support as necessary.

The majority of staff were positive about working at the practice and were appreciative of the processes to support them at work. Social events to promote team building and bonding of staff across the 3 sites had been implemented and staff said these had been positive experiences. A number of staff gave examples of when practice leaders had supported them with work and personal issues.

Staff wellbeing was a priority at the service. There was a 6 weekly staff newsletter, which included a range of updates. A GP or clinical lead attended departmental team meetings which were minuted and shared. During these meetings, staff feedback was obtained and actions identified to improve issues which had been raised. Practice leaders recognised the difficulties with working across 3 sites and wanted to ensure staff were supported. As a result, they held monthly staff welfare meetings by video call across the 3 sites, to provide an opportunity for all staff to see their colleagues and ask questions about anything. The practice varied the day of these meetings, so all staff had the opportunity to join. Staff were referred to occupational health as appropriate and advice and recommendations were implemented.