Bearsted Medical Practice

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

The practice monitored data and feedback related to patient’s experiences when accessing care at the service. Where negative feedback had been received or opportunities to improve were identified, the practice responded with changes designed to improve access and, patients’ experiences and satisfaction levels. New systems had been introduced within the last 9 months, which had been embedded. The practice was continuously monitoring systems and processes to ensure they operated consistently for all patients.

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.

In June 2023, the practice had implemented a new online triage and appointment request system. When introducing the online triage system the practice had ensured that patients could still make requests by telephone or in person to prevent any patients being disadvantaged. All staff we spoke with and provided written feedback confirmed this system was in operation and knew how internal systems worked to ensure there was equity in access based on patients needs. We were shown meeting minutes, patient feedback and data and insight; that had been used to inform decision making regarding changes to access had all been considered prior to the implementation of the new system. Evidence also showed that feedback from patients was continually being monitored. We were shown evidence of the NHS Friends and Family Test responses for January and February 2024, which showed positive experiences of patients. NHS website reviews also reflected this. The introduction of the online triage system gave the practice data which they used to plan future demand and capacity needs. For example, the practice was able to see the types of appointment being requested most frequently and could adjust the appointment system to meet that preference.

The results of the most recent GP Patient Survey (published in June 2023) showed the practice performance was in line with the national averages for all 4 of the indicators measured; scoring between 1-5% higher than local and national averages in relation to access. We received 14 pieces of patient feedback through our Give Feedback on Care process during the assessment and we spoke with 2 members of the Patient Participation Group (PPG). We heard positive feedback about the experiences of patients when accessing care at the service. All patients told us that recent changes had improved their experience when accessing the practice.

Evidence provided by staff in leadership, management, and support roles; showed clear steps taken by the practice to ensure that improving access and patient experience had been a priority for the practice. Negative patient feedback about access had led the service to review performance and identify improvements. The leadership explained they had reviewed data and changes made by other practices to select the improvements they believed would have the biggest impact for their patients. Feedback received since the implementation of the new triage system showed a significant increase in positive feedback received by the practice.

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.