Gorton Medical Centre

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

We looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture

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 shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities.

All staff had contributed to the development of the practice vision and strategy, which was kept under review. The practice was aware of the projected increase in the local population and was working with partner agencies to address future challenges.

Leaders described a clear vision centred on providing safe and accessible healthcare for the local community. Staff spoke positively about the culture within the practice and described an open and supportive environment. Regular meetings were held to discuss quality, safety and operational issues. Leaders acknowledged challenges associated with changes to access systems and demonstrated how these had been managed through staff engagement and ongoing monitoring.

The service had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

Staff told us leaders in the practice were approachable and responded to any concerns raised. Staff also told us leaders modelled the values of the practice. We saw the leadership team worked with other practices in the primary care network and were engaged in the development of primary care services within the local area.

The service fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.

The practice had established Freedom to Speak up arrangements with other practices in the primary care network. Staff were aware of how to raise concerns, and we saw examples where staff had used the arrangements in place to positive effect.

Staff were encouraged to speak up about concerns and contribute to improvements within the service. Leaders had established regular clinical, nursing and multidisciplinary meetings where staff could raise issues, discuss incidents, review complaints and share learning. A freedom to speak up policy was in place and staff knew how to access it.

The service valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who work for them.

Policies and procedures to promote diversity and equality were in place. Leaders promoted a supportive culture through regular engagement and learning activities and worked to ensure staff had the knowledge and resources required to carry out their roles effectively.

The service had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate.

Leaders and managers supported staff, and all staff we spoke with were clear on their individual roles and responsibilities. Governance systems were supported with electronic systems for policies, incidents, risk management and meeting records. Regular meetings included discussion of complaints, significant events, safeguarding concerns, safety alerts and training compliance. Risk assessments covering fire safety, health and safety and accessibility had been completed, with actions monitored.

Managers held regular practice meetings with staff, during which they discussed clinical concerns and emerging risks. Managers clearly recorded any actions arising from these meetings and ensured they shared these with staff. Staff took patient confidentiality and information security seriously.

Leaders promoted a culture of continuous improvement. They used information from audits, incidents, patient feedback and performance data to identify areas for improvement and make changes where needed. Learning was shared with staff and improvements were reviewed to make sure they were effective.

The service understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services work seamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement.

The practice worked collaboratively with healthcare partners and community organisations to improve patient care and outcomes. This included working with health visitors, community services, community pharmacists, child health information services and primary care network partners to improve access, support prevention initiatives and reduce health inequalities.

The service focused on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe, effective practice and research.

The practice demonstrated a commitment to learning and continuous improvement. Staff used audits, quality improvement projects, patient feedback and performance data to identify areas for improvement and make changes to services. Examples included work to improve childhood immunisation uptake, chronic kidney disease management, infection prevention and control, medicines management and antimicrobial stewardship. Leaders monitored the impact of changes and shared learning through regular meetings and discussions with staff.