Island Health

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• 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 5 of the quality statements from this key question – Kindness compassion and dignity, treating people as individuals, independence, choice and control, responding to people’s immediate needs and workforce wellbeing and enablement. We rated the Caring key question as good. This meant people were supported and treated with dignity and respect; and involved as partners in their care. Staff treated people as individuals and promoted their independence, choice and control. The service was responding to people’s immediate needs. Patients had information they needed to make decisions about their care and treatment. There were systems and processes to ensure workforce well-being and enablement.

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 from people via the NHS website and friends and family test showed people felt they were treated with kindness, compassion and dignity in their care, and they felt that staff listened to them and communicated with them appropriately and in a way they can understand. The national GP patient survey carried out from January to March 2024 had 127 responses. This found 75% of patients stated the healthcare professional was good at treating the patient with care and concern, and 75% of patients stated the healthcare professional was fairly or very good at listening to them. In addition, 86% stated to some extent or definitely they had confidence and trust in the health care professional they saw or spoke to. CQC did not speak to patients on the days of the assessment.

Staff were alert to discrimination and inequality that could disadvantage different groups of people using their services. Leaders told us staff had undertaken additional training to support the needs of people with a learning disability and autism. For example, leaders told us that both clinical and non-clinical staff had completed Oliver McGowan training. Staff had also undertaken training to support LGBTQ+ people facing health inequalities, to access primary care services. The practice was recognised with the 'silver' pride in practice award. Leaders told us that staff had completed disability competence training which included a site visit from service users to review disability access at the service.Staff knew and understood the people who used their services, including their preferences, wishes, personal histories and backgrounds. Staff and leaders told us they would respond to people’s needs quickly and efficiently. The leaders explained patients were signposted to social prescribers and informationon disabilities, women's health, and LGBTQ+ support groups was available on the service website and on posters in the waiting room. Staff told us they provided support and signposting to specialist bereavement services. The leaders explained they had recruited staff who were multilingual and who lived locally, to improve customer experience.

We observed complaints were handled promptly and confidentially. There were arrangements to ensure confidentiality at the reception desk. A private room was available if patients were distressed or wanted to discuss sensitive issues.The service provided 'disability friendly’ chairs in the reception area. There was a hearing loop in reception for people with hearing impairment. To improve communication with patients who had hearing difficulties, staff used Sign Live to connect people through a mobile app with a BSL interpreter. Signage in reception was available in braille. We saw the reception desk had a wheelchair access section to help face to face conversations.

Staff and leaders told us that people’s individual needs and preferences were understood and reflected in their care, treatment and support. They told us that people’s personal, cultural, social and religious needs were understood, met and clearly documented. Staff told us and provided evidence to show they had dedicated cervical screening clinics during different times of the day to suit those working, or those with children, and by using the self-book service on a software platform, which had helped to improve uptake rates for cervical screening.

The service 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.

The national GP patient survey carried out from January to March 2024 had 127 responses. This found 85% of patients stated the healthcare professional they saw had all the information they needed about them during their last GP appointment, and 75% of patients stated the healthcare professional was fairly or very good at listening to them. We did not speak to patients on the days of the assessment.

The leaders explained they listened and responded to patient feedback, through the national GP patient survey, and the friends and family test and had used technology to monitor appointment activity in relation to access and demand. In addition, they reviewed and responded to complaints and acted on any themes or reoccurring issues.

There were policies and procedures for staff to follow to ensure information about people was treated confidentially, as well as to respect their privacy. Staff used communication tools so people were communicated with in a way that they could engage with. The provider had received positive feedback following the redesign of the practice website which included a recommendation of the website to local GP Practices, as a good example of communicating information. The Island Health practice website included dedicated information about access to urgent or routine appointments and signposting on wellbeing, learning disabilities, women's health, and LGBTQ+ support.The service website and online information was translatable into other languages, but the patient leaflet was not available in other languages. The service had a system in place to support the relatives of recently bereaved patients that met cultural, social and religious needs.

We asked the provider to share details of our Give Feedback on Care process on their website and although we received 10 pieces of feedback, none were specific to this area. Staff and leaders told us that people were supported to have choice and control over their own care and to make decisions about their care, treatment and well-being. The service supported people to understand their rights by using different ways to communicate. There were systems, processes and policies and procedures to ensure peoples records were kept up to date with information that supported them to maintain relationships, as well as networks that were important to them.

The national GP patient survey carried out from January to March 2024 had 127 responses. This found 87% of patients stated they were to some extent or definitely involved as much as they wanted to be in decisions about their care and treatment.

Leaders told us staff provided patients with the information they needed to make decisions about their care and treatment. The information was available in different languages and written formats. Staff told us they helped patients, and their carers find further information and access community and advocacy services.

Patients had access to British Sign Language and language line. Patient information leaflets and notices were available in the patient waiting area which told patients how to access support groups and organisations. However, for patients whose first language was not English, the service website and online information was translatable into other languages, but the patient leaflet was not available in other languages. Staff could send automated messages to patients through a computer software system and direct messages were sent by text. Patients could request to be referred to a pre-diabetes engagement programme, a social prescriber, wellbeing coach, and health and fitness classes held locally.The service had worked wth the Healthy Island Partnership PCN to create a wellbeing programme focusing on the individual, providing coaching, either one to one or in a group, access to social prescribing (face to face or telephone) and access to local community activities including gardening and walking groups. The service promoted the wellbeing programme to the local community. All people using this service were asked for feedback, and people were involved in developing and shaping the wellbeing programme.

Staff were alert to people’s needs and took time to observe, communicate and engage people in discussions about their immediate needs. The national GP patient survey carried out from January to March 2024 had 127 responses. This found 76% of patients knew what the next step would be after contacting the service and 97% knew what the next step would be within two days of contacting the service. In addition, 91% stated to some extent or definitely their needs were met. CQC did not speak to patients on the days of the assessment.

Staff and leaders told us that people’s needs, views, wishes and comfort were a priority and staff quickly anticipated these to avoid any preventable discomfort, concern or distress. Staff training ensured they were able to quickly recognise when people need urgent help or support and use appropriate tools and technology to assist. The leaders explained that contact by patients to the service was responded to within 3 hours. Same day appointments were available for patients who required immediate care. The length of call waiting time and response was monitored to ensure patients’ needs were promptly responded to. If patients came into the service to ask for an appointment, staff told us they would support the patient with their request. The service had worked with the local primary care network to develop a home health service, this would help patients to stay independent and healthy for as long as possible at home.

People received safe, effective and person-centred care as the provider recognised and met the wellbeing needs of staff. These included the necessary resources and facilities for safe working, such as regular breaks and rest areas. Staff told us they felt valued by their leaders and their colleagues.

The leaders told us they had worked to improve staff wellbeing. They explained the service celebrated staff birthdays and gave service staff additional annual leave on their birthday. Every Monday the service provided a fruit basket for staff. Staff could join the health and wellbeing activities held at the service. In addition, they had a summer party and Christmas party. The leaders told us that staff do not work alone.

There were systems and processes for staff and people to have regular opportunities to provide feedback, raise concerns and suggest ways to improve the service or staff experiences. The provider had completed a workforce well-being survey in September 2024, which demonstrated a positive culture of support and the promotion of staff wellbeing. 11 out of 29 staff responded, 100% felt safe in the workplace and 100% felt supported by their manager in their role, 91% stated they were satisfied with the training and development programmes offered by the service. 81.8% felt valued and recognised for their contributions at work.