• Doctor
  • GP practice

The Village Surgery

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

49 High Street, Wolstanton, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire, ST5 0ET (01782) 626172

Provided and run by:
The Village Surgery

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about The Village Surgery on 6 July 2023. We have not found evidence that we need to carry out an inspection or reassess our rating at this stage.

This could change at any time if we receive new information. We will continue to monitor data about this service.

If you have concerns about The Village Surgery, you can give feedback on this service.

18 December 2019

During an annual regulatory review

We reviewed the information available to us about The Village Surgery on 18 December 2019. We did not find evidence of significant changes to the quality of service being provided since the last inspection. As a result, we decided not to inspect the surgery at this time. We will continue to monitor this information about this service throughout the year and may inspect the surgery when we see evidence of potential changes.

4 December 2017

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

This practice is rated as Good overall. We previously inspected this practice on 26 January 2015 and rated it Good overall.

The key questions are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

As part of our inspection process, we also look at the quality of care for specific population groups. The population groups are rated as:

Older People – Good

People with long-term conditions – Good

Families, children and young people – Good

Working age people (including those recently retired and students – Good

People whose circumstances may make them vulnerable – Good

People experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia) - Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Village Surgery on 4 December 2017 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

  • The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.

  • The practice had systems to safeguard children and vulnerable adults from the risk of abuse and staff were aware of these.

  • The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care it provided. It ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence based guidelines.

  • Staff worked with other health and social care professionals to deliver effective care and treatment.

  • Staff involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

  • Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it. Data from the national patient survey showed that 95% of patients described their experience of making an appointment as good.

  • The management team were aware of the challenges the practice faced and had plans in place to address them. For example, they had implemented plans to reduce their antibiotic prescribing rate and also to increase the quality of care for patients with diabetes.

  • There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

  • Staff we spoke with were aware of the practice’s vision to provide patients with high quality, safe, accessible care in a responsive and courteous manner. They were aware of their roles in achieving this. There were very positive relationships between staff and teams.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

26/01/2015

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at The Village Surgery on 26 January 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led services. It was also good for providing services for older people, people with long-term conditions, families, children and young people, working age people (including those recently retired and students), people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable and people experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia).

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows

  • Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.
  • Patients’ needs were assessed and care was planned and delivered following best practice guidance. Staff had received training appropriate to their roles and any further training needs had been identified and planned.
  • Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
  • Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day.
  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
  • Results from the latest GP national survey showed the practice was performing at higher than local and national average levels in all outcomes.
  • The practice provided timely follow up and offered support and extended appointments for patients who had attended accident and emergency with a non-life threatening issue.

However there was one area of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

Importantly the provider should

  • Ensure that patients, visitors and staff are protected from the risk of water borne infection by means of completing a legionella risk assessment.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice