Gorton Medical Centre

On this page

• Overview
• Learning culture
• Safe systems, pathways and transitions
• Safeguarding
• Involving people to manage risks
• Safe environments
• Safe and effective staffing
• Infection prevention and control
• Medicines optimisation

We looked for evidence that people were protected from abuse and avoidable harm.

At our last assessment, we rated this key question as good. At this assessment, the rating remains the same.

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 had a proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty. They listened to concerns about safety and investigated and reported safety events. Lessons were learnt to continually identify and embed good practice.

People felt supported to raise concerns and felt staff treated them with compassion and understanding.

The practice promoted a culture where staff were encouraged to report incidents and concerns. Significant events and incidents were recorded and discussed during regular meetings. Staff were able to provide examples of learning following incidents, including changes made to specimen labelling processes to reduce the risk of errors. The practice used established processes for recording and sharing learning from incidents with staff.

There was a system to record and investigate complaints, and when things went wrong, staff apologised and gave people support. Learning from incidents and complaints resulted in changes that improved care for others.

The service worked with people and healthcare partners to establish and maintain safe systems of care, in which safety was managed or monitored. They made sure there was continuity of care, including when people moved between different services.

There were systems in place for processing information relating to new patients. The service worked with other providers to deliver shared care and when patients moved between services. Referrals and test results were managed in a timely way.

Clinical staff were supported through systems that enabled prompt assessment of deteriorating patients and urgent concerns raised by patients through reception, email or direct contact. Staff understood their responsibilities for recognising and escalating concerns when patients presented with potentially serious conditions.

The service worked with people and healthcare partners to understand what being safe meant to them and the best way to achieve that. They concentrated on improving people’s lives while protecting their right to live in safety, free from bullying, harassment, abuse, discrimination, avoidable harm and neglect. The service shared concerns quickly and appropriately.

Staff demonstrated a clear understanding of safeguarding responsibilities. There were identified safeguarding leads, and safeguarding information was readily accessible through the practice's governance systems. Regular multidisciplinary team meetings were used to discuss safeguarding concerns and review patients at risk. Staff described examples where appropriate referrals had been made and ongoing support provided to vulnerable patients. We saw evidence that safeguarding concerns were taken seriously, appropriately documented and discussed with relevant agencies when required.

The service worked with people to understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. They provided care to meet people’s needs that was safe, supportive and enabled people to do the things that mattered to them.

Emergency equipment was available and maintained. Staff could recognise a deteriorating patient and knew of action to take. Patients were advised on risks related to their condition and actions to take if their condition deteriorated,

The service made sure there were enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff, who received effective support, supervision and development. They worked together well to provide safe care that met people’s individual needs.

There were a range of clinical and non-clinical roles within the practice. We found training was up to date, learning needs and development of staff was managed appropriately, and staff were working within their agreed areas of competence. Safe recruitment practices were followed.

The practice had systems to ensure it had sufficient numbers of suitably skilled and qualified staff to meet patients’ needs. Recruitment records reviewed contained the required pre-employment checks, including references, DBS checks where appropriate, professional registration, indemnity arrangements and proof of identity. Staff received induction and mandatory training, with training compliance monitored through an online platform. Leaders described arrangements for maintaining staffing levels and supporting staff development through regular meetings, appraisal and continuing professional development opportunities.

The service detected and controlled potential risks in the care environment. They made sure equipment, facilities and technology supported the delivery of safe care.

Contracts were in place to ensure the premises were maintained. Health and safety risk assessments and audits had been undertaken and risks identified had been addressed. There was a business continuity plan in place which was monitored and reviewed.

The premises were clean, well maintained and accessible. Patients had access to suitable facilities including disabled access, hearing loop support and baby changing facilities. Consultation and office spaces enabled privacy and confidentiality. Clinical rooms inspected were clean and well organised, with appropriately signed sharps bins and no out-of-date consumables identified. Health and safety assessments, disability access audits and Legionella assessments had been completed. Fire safety equipment was maintained, and evacuation plans were in place, including arrangements for people requiring assistance to evacuate.

The service assessed and managed the risk of infection. They detected and controlled the risk of it spreading and shared concerns with appropriate agencies promptly.

The practice had a designated infection, prevention and control (IPC) lead and all staff had had relevant training. Cleaning schedules were in place and followed. Risk assessments and audits were completed, and actions taken to mitigate risks.

The practice had effective arrangements in place to prevent and control infections. The IPC was responsible for overseeing audits, staff training and IPC compliance. Regular IPC audits had been undertaken, most recently in July 2026, and actions identified had been completed. An IPC policy was in place and formed part of the induction process for new staff.

The practice had systems for managing clinical waste and cleaning. Daily cleaning was undertaken by dedicated cleaning staff, and schedules were in place.

Fridge temperatures were checked twice daily, and stock management processes were in place to maintain the safety of medicines. Legionella risk assessments had been completed, and arrangements were in place to monitor water safety.

The service made sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. They involved people in planning, including when changes happened.

The service had effective systems to ensure medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs. Staff involved people in reviews of their medicines and supported them to understand how to manage their medicines safely. The practice had systems to ensure patients received appropriate medicines monitoring and follow up. Clinical searches demonstrated good oversight of patients prescribed high-risk medicines, with monitoring completed in line with recommended timeframes.

Staff followed protocols to ensure medicines were prescribed safely and appropriately. Prescribing data and clinical searches showed the practice used benchmarking information to identify areas for improvement and had taken action to improve antimicrobial prescribing and review the ]use of higher risk medicines. Structured medication reviews were undertaken and records reviewed demonstrated good oversight of prescribing and monitoring requirements. The provider had systems in place to receive and respond to medicine and patient safety alerts, with pharmacists supporting the review and dissemination of relevant information.

Staff received regular training, were competency assessed on medicines optimisation, and felt confident managing the storage, administration and recording of medicines. Staff managed prescription stationery appropriately and securely.

Medicines were stored securely and at appropriate temperatures. Staff regularly checked the stock levels and expiry dates for all medicines, including emergency medicines, vaccines, and controlled drugs. Waste medicines were recorded and disposed of appropriately including medicines returned by patients. Staff stored medical gases, such as oxygen, safely and completed required safety risk assessments.