- GP practice
Cornerstone Medical Practice
Assessment report published 14 October 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 13 July 2026. Cornerstone Medical Practice is a GP practice and delivers service to 4,309 patients under a contract held with NHS England, and is located within a shared building. The National General Practice Profiles states that the ethnic make-up of the service area is approximately 72.7% White, 4.4% Mixed, 7.1% Asian, 11.7% Black, 4.1% other non-white ethnic groups Information published by Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the 2nd decile (2 of 10). The lower the decile, the more deprived the practice population is relative to others. This assessment considered the demographics of the people using the service, the context the service was working within and how this impacted service delivery. Where relevant, further commentary is provided in the quality statements section of this report.
Managers investigated incidents and shared learning to help keep people safe. Staff understood how to identify and manage risks and had access to the equipment, training and information needed to carry out their roles safely. The practice maintained appropriate safety arrangements, including emergency medicines, equipment checks, staff training, and fire safety processes. Overall, the facilities and equipment met the needs of people, were clean and well-maintained and any risks mitigated. Some areas of improvement were required, for example enhancing governance arrangements for DNACPR decisions.There were sufficient staff to meet people's needs and support the delivery of safe care.
People were involved in assessments of their needs. Staff reviewed assessments taking account of people’s communication, personal and health needs. Care was based on latest evidence and good practice. Staff worked with all agencies involved in people’s care for the best outcomes and smooth transitions when moving services. Staff made sure people understood their care and treatment to enable them to give informed consent. Staff involved those important to people took decisions in people’s best interests where they did not have capacity.
People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. They treated them as individuals and supported their preferences. People had choice in their care and treatment. The service supported staff wellbeing.
People were involved in decisions about their care. The service provided information to people; however, opportunities were identified to improve the accessibility of patient information, including the visibility, readability, and availability of information in other languages. People knew how to give feedback and were confident the service took it seriously and acted on it. The service was easy to access and worked to eliminate discrimination. People received fair and equal care and treatment. The service worked to reduce health and care inequalities through training and feedback. People were involved in planning their care and understood options around choosing to withdraw or not receive care.
Leaders and staff had a shared vision and culture based on supporting patients and working collaboratively. Leaders were visible, knowledgeable, and supportive, helping staff develop in their roles. Staff felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally, free from bullying or harassment. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities. Managers worked with the local community and partner organisations to deliver care that met the needs of their population and were receptive to new ideas. However, some governance processes needed to be improved including oversight of DNACPR arrangements, ensuring systems were in place to code patients’ records correctly and that patients prescribed certain high-risk medicine received the required reviews. There was a culture of improvement, with examples of staff working to improve access and uptake of preventative health services.
We found breaches of regulation in relation to Good Governance. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.
People's experience of this service
People were positive about the quality of their care and treatment. Recent survey results, including from the National GP Patient Survey and the NHS Friends and Family Test, showed people were satisfied with service they received. Staff spoke kindly to patients, and patients reported feeling cared for by staff at the practice.