Little Park Surgery

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

We carried out an announced assessment of one quality statement, equity of access, on 9 February 2024. We found that the practice recognised and organised services to support patients' needs. Services were designed to make them accessible to people who were most likely to experience difficulty accessing care. GP patient survey data showed that some patients experienced difficulty accessing the practice by telephone and were not always satisfied with the appointments offered. The provider had taken steps to address these concerns, particularly around telephone access. These improvements were not yet reflected in the GP patient survey or other sources of patient feedback.

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 did not look at Person-centred Care during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Care provision, Integration and continuity during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Providing Information during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Listening to and involving people during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

Appointments could be made via telephone, in-person or via an online system. Patients could book their own appointments for some clinics, for example cervical screening or blood tests. Most appointments were scheduled as face to face appointments; however patients were given the option of a telephone consultation. The provider shared data with us that showed in November 2023 approximately 71% of consultations were face to face. The practice was open from 8am to 6.30pm Monday to Friday. Appointments were available at the extended hours access hub from 6.30pm to 8pm Monday to Friday, 8am to 5pm on Saturdays and 8am to 12pm on Sundays. Longer appointments were offered to patients who needed translation services and for patients with complex needs. There was a template for staff to use to ensure patients with urgent needs were prioritised.

The results of the GP patient survey showed lower than average satisfaction with 2 of the 4 indicators measured. Patients reported difficulty accessing the practice via telephone and were not always satisfied with the appointments offered. Patients reported higher than average satisfaction with the practice’s appointment times. Satisfaction with the experience of making an appointment was in line with national averages. We received 3 complaints about the service shared directly with CQC. These referred to difficulty accessing appointments. During the course of our assessment we received 12 Give Feedback on Care feedback forms and spoke to a member of the patient participation group (PPG). Feedback from these sources was largely positive, particularly about the care received and interactions with practice staff. We were also told it was sometimes difficult to access the practice by telephone. There were 5 reviews on the NHS website, 3 of which were positive about the service, and 2 were negative. Positive comments referred to excellent staff who were understanding and showed empathy. Negative comments referred to delays in receiving test results and patients sometimes did not feel they were listened to.

The practice had responded to the GP patient survey results by changing their telephone system. Previously the practice doors and telephones opened at 8am, however the appointment telephone line didn’t open until 8.30am. The practice updated their process so the appointment telephone line and practice doors both opened at 8am. Staff told us this reduced the volume of patients attempting to call the practice at the same time which made it easier to get through to the practice via telephone. The practice worked with local hotels to ensure asylum seekers housed at the hotels could access the appropriate care. The practice estimated at any one time they were providing primary care services for approximately 2000 asylum seekers, who could be either long or short term residents of the hotels. The practice liaised with hotel staff to provide onsite services as well as large scale events, for example vaccinations. The practice had access to interpreters and digital translation services to ensure clear and accurate communication.

We did not look at Equity in experiences and outcomes during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Planning for the future during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.