Hythe Medical Centre

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 practice involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

This is the first inspection for this practice since its registration with CQC. This key question has been rated as 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 practice treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Arrangements were in place to promote patients’ privacy. Reception staff we spoke with were aware of the limitations of the small reception area and could offer private conversations elsewhere when necessary. The provision of chaperones was advertised in waiting and clinical areas and offered to patients during consultations. Staff acting as chaperones were appropriately trained and had up to date criminal records checks (DBS) in place.

In the 2026 National GP Patient Survey, 86% of respondents said the healthcare professional they saw or spoke to was good at listening to them during their last general practice appointment. This was comparable to the national average of 87%.

During our site visit we witnessed reception staff interacting with patients in a friendly and supportive manner, which reflected the positive feedback we received about practice staff through our ‘Give Feedback On Care’ facility. During our inspection, we were given examples of empathetic care delivery and staff demonstrated a strong collective purpose of prioritising patient need.

The practice 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. The practice had a good understanding of people from ethnic minority groups within its patient population, and endeavoured to provide care that was tailored to and met their specific needs. Arrangements were in place to identify and support people who were digitally excluded. Leaders had considered this potential barrier to care in their digital inclusion policy, to ensure patients were enabled to access the required service or appointment.

Patient communication needs were met to enable them to be fully involved in their care. Translation services were available for patients whose first language was not English or who used British Sign Language with extended appointments arranged to accommodate the time needed for this. A hearing loop was available in reception to support people with hearing loss who use compatible hearing aids. Digital flags were added to clinical records once a communication need was identified, to ensure patients received the appropriate intervention to support their individual requirements. Questions about communication needs and reasonable adjustments had been added to registration documents, to proactively identify where care could be tailored to meet those needs. This enabled patients using the practice to engage meaningfully in their care and treatment and to maximise their experience and outcomes.

The practice 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. The practice website also contained a link to the NHS Health A-Z to support people to self-manage minor illnesses and injuries. The practice promoted the pharmacy first scheme to offer people the choice of seeking help directly from the pharmacy for certain conditions.

Results of the 2026 GP Patient Survey showed 69% of people were offered a choice of time or day when they last tried to make a general practice appointment, which was higher than the national average of 57%.

Responses to a survey of registered carers in June 2026, identified where improvements could be made to their care provision. The practice identified where work was required to address physical illness, mental health difficulties, social isolation and financial hardship in this patient group.

The practice 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.

There was a system for appointment triage that ensured people with immediate needs had access to services. Practice leaders had introduced a digital triage system after much consideration of how this system could enhance appointment booking without disadvantaging any patient groups. This system prioritised people with immediate needs and benefitted from providing a choice of appointments for direct booking at the time of submitting a request.

For those unable to use the digital system, appointments could be made in person or by telephone. The practice telephone service had been adapted to include a bypass system, to prioritise calls from vulnerable groups such as those with learning disabilities or dementia.

The practice had seen a steady growth in patient numbers and leaders had adapted their services to meet demand by regularly auditing appointment numbers and adapting provision to match patient demand. This involved anticipating periods of higher demand such as during winter months and using locum staff to increase capacity.

Reception staff were aware of red flag symptoms in presenting patients and had clear understanding of their responsibilities for arranging help. Staff we spoke with knew the process for referral to emergency support, including mental health crisis teams. A duty doctor was available each day to support staff with concerns or queries.

The practice 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 and staff feedback we received during the inspection was very positive. Leaders had taken steps to recognise and meet the wellbeing needs of staff, which included the necessary resources and facilities for safe working. The current limited space at the main site meant that dedicated rest space for staff was not available, but we were told that this would be addressed in the new building. Staff had been actively involved with design and planning for the new premises and leaders explained how staff wellbeing was a key consideration.

Staff reported being supported if they were struggling at work and we were provided with examples of how working patterns had been adapted to meet the personal needs of individual staff. We saw team building days were established within the practice and social events were organised throughout the year. A recent internal staff survey showed that staff felt listened to when suggesting improvements, and birthday celebrations including gifts for staff had recently been introduced as a result.

We saw examples of staff progression and development, and staff we spoke with felt supported when approaching leaders to discuss ideas for enhancing their skills and responsibilities.