Adelaide Surgery

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 looked for evidence that the service involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At the previous assessment, this key question was rated Requires Improvement. Since then, the service has implemented a new triage system to support timely access to care and has made staff wellbeing a priority, introducing measures to support and engage staff. These improvements have had a positive impact on the quality of care provided, and the rating for this key question has improved to Good.

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.

The service always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity.

Arrangements were in place to promote patients’ privacy. Staff that chaperoned patients were aware of their responsibilities in maintaining a person’s dignity and safety, including during an intimate examination. We observed notices around the practice advising that chaperones were available and how to request one.

Feedback from patients was shared with staff to encourage and reinforce good practice. The practice used all comments as an opportunity for learning and improvement.

The latest results of the National GP patient survey showed the majority of patients (73%) reported being treated with care and concern by the healthcare professional they saw or spoke to during their last appointment. The practice was committed to understanding patient feedback and identifying ways to strengthen compassionate care, with the aim of moving closer to local (87%) and national (86%) levels.

The service treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Patients’ personal, cultural, social, religious and equality characteristics needs were understood and met. Patient communication needs were met to enable them to be fully involved in their care.

The service maintained an active register of carers, supported by a dedicated carers champion who provided oversight and advocacy. Systems ensured carers were identified at the point of registration, and their wellbeing was routinely reviewed.A carers pack was also available for carers, which included further community contact points and an emergency plan form.

Arrangements were in place to support communication, including the use of interpreters for patients whose first language was not English. Systems supported inclusive access, including non-digital routes for contacting the service and processes to assist patients who may be unable to engage with online systems.

The service promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

Staff helped patients and their carers to access advocacy and community-based services.

Staff and leaders described instances where reasonable adjustments had been made to ensure people’s preferences and choices were taken into account. They also demonstrated a willingness to learn from feedback and make improvements where needed.

Patient feedback shows that 91% of respondents had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw or spoke to during their most recent appointment. This is broadly in line with local and national results (93%), reflecting strong levels of patient confidence in the care provided.

The service listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress.

The practice had an effective online appointment system that enabled patients with immediate or urgent needs to access care promptly. A duty doctor was available on-site each day, providing real-time clinical oversight and support. This facilitated the immediate validation of clinical decisions, timely escalation of concerns when required, and a responsive approach to managing patient demand and clinical queries. As a result, patients received appropriate care in a timely manner, contributing to the safe and efficient delivery of services.

The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff told us they were valued by leaders. Leaders had taken steps to recognise and meet the wellbeing needs of staff, which included the necessary resources and facilities for safe working, such as regular breaks and rest areas. Staff reported being supported if they were struggling at work. We saw team building days were established within the practice.

The service established a monthly practice newsletter to keep staff informed and engaged. The newsletter was used to provide updates on upcoming training opportunities, communicate any changes within the service, share patient feedback, and recognise and praise staff for their achievements and contributions.