- GP practice
Great Barr Medical Centre
Assessment report published 4 September 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 29 to 30 July 2026. Great Barr Medical Centre is a GP practice and delivers service to 10,436 patients under a contract held with NHS England. The National General Practice Profiles states that 59.41% of patients are White, 24.15% Asian, 9.12% Black, 4.09% Mixed and 3.24% Other. Information published by Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the 6th decile (6 of 10). The lower the decile, the more deprived the practice population is relative to others. This assessment considered the demographics of the patients using the service, the context the service was working within and how this impacted service delivery. Where relevant, further commentary is provided in the quality statements section of this report.
SAFE: The service had significantly improved and areas identified at the previous assessment in 2025 had been addressed with effective processes now in place to monitor the safety of the practice. These included improvements in the monitoring of medicines, clinical supervision and the maintenance of the safeguarding registers. There was a strong and embedded culture of learning and incidents were investigated thoroughly ensuring that outcomes were shared with the team to mitigate future risks. Staff understood and managed risks. Systems had been strengthened to support safe care. The environment, facilities, and equipment were well maintained to meet the diverse needs of patients. Workforce planning was effective, ensuring there were sufficient numbers of skilled, qualified, and experienced staff to deliver consistently high-quality care. Leaders showed a strong commitment to staff development and wellbeing, with training, regular appraisals, opportunities for staff to learn new roles and staff recognition. We saw improvements in the management of medicines with clinical supervision embedded to ensure staff had the appropriate support and well-established systems were now in place that reflected best practice. Patients were involved in decisions about their care, including changes to medicines, demonstrating a personalised, collaborative, and patient-centred approach.
EFFECTIVE: The service had improved since the previous assessment in 2025, with systems having been strengthened to ensure patients received effective, co-ordinated care. Staff reviewed assessments taking account of patients’ communication, personal and health needs. Care was based on latest evidence and good practice. Staff worked with all agencies involved in patients’ care for the best outcomes and smooth transitions when moving services. Staff made sure patients understood their care and treatment to enable them to give informed consent.
CARING: Staff protected patients’ privacy and dignity. Patients were fully involved in decisions about their care and treatment and were supported to make informed choices. The service also demonstrated a positive and supportive culture for staff wellbeing, recognising that a valued and supported workforce is fundamental to delivering high-quality, compassionate care.
RESPONSIVE: The service provided information patients could understand. Patients knew how to give feedback and were confident the service took it seriously and acted on it. Access to the service was designed to be inclusive and responsive, with a clear commitment to eliminating discrimination and reducing barriers to care. The service took proactive steps to reduce health and care inequalities, using training, data, and patient feedback to continually refine and improve their approach. Feedback from patients was positive about accessing the services provided and this was also reflected in the results of the GP national patient survey. Care planning was collaborative, with patients fully involved in shaping their care and supported to understand all available options, including the right to decline or withdraw from treatment.
WELL-LED: The service had made significant improvements since the last assessment in 2025. Leaders and staff demonstrated a shared vision based on a culture of openness, trust, and continuous learning. Leaders were visible, knowledgeable, and forward thinking, proactively anticipating future challenges and driving innovation. They were approachable and supportive, creating an environment where staff felt valued, empowered, and able to develop and excel in their roles. There was a clear commitment to equality and inclusion and responsibilities were clearly defined and well understood across the team, contributing to a co-ordinated and effective service. Governance processes had been reviewed and further strengthened to identify, manage and mitigate risks. Leaders worked collaboratively with the local community and key partners to design and deliver services that met the evolving needs of the population. They were receptive to new ideas and fostered a strong culture of continuous improvement. Staff were supported with dedicated time, resources, and autonomy to test and implement innovative approaches, driving sustained improvement and the delivery of consistently high-quality care.
People's experience of this service
Patients were positive about the quality of their care and treatment. Recent survey results, including from the National GP Patient Survey and NHS Friends and Family Test showed the majority of patients were satisfied with services. There was an active patient participation group (PPG) who represented the views of patients using the service. Representatives from the PPG described how they had seen improvements at the practice and reported that they felt engaged with the practice, regularly attending meetings and having contributed to initiatives aimed at improving the patient experience.