During an assessment under our new approach
Date of Assessment: 28 April 2026 to 6 May 2026. Guidepost Medical Group is a GP practice and delivers service to just over 8,000 people under a contract held with NHS England. The National General Practice Profiles indicate that the population is predominantly White (98.1%), with smaller representation from Asian (0.7%), Black (0.2%), Mixed (0.8%), and other ethnic groups (0.2%). Information published by Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the 4th decile (4 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.
The service had a good learning culture and people could raise concerns. Managers investigated incidents thoroughly. People were protected and kept safe. Staff understood and managed risks. The facilities and equipment met the needs of people, were clean and well-maintained and any risks mitigated. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. Managers made sure staff received training and regular appraisals to maintain high-quality care. However, the service did not always ensure that medicines and treatments were managed safely or consistently met people’s needs, capacities, and preferences.
People were involved in assessments of their needs. Staff reviewed assessments taking account of people’s communication, personal and health needs. However, there were some gaps in the systems for review and monitoring of patients’ long-term conditions and medicines. Staff worked with all agencies involved in people’s care for the best outcomes and smooth transitions when moving services. Most of the time staff made sure people understood their care and treatment to enable them to give informed consent.
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 people could understand. People received fair and equal care and treatment. The service worked to reduce health and care inequalities through training and responding to feedback.
Leaders and staff had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. 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. However, there were gaps in some of the systems for good governance. This meant the service was not always effectively monitoring and improving the quality and safety of the care provided.
We found breaches of regulation in relation to safe care and treatment and good governance. We have asked the provider to respond to the concerns found at this assessment.