Oakwood Surgery

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

We looked for evidence that the service met people’s needs, and that staff treated people equally and without discrimination.

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

This service scored 71 (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 made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices, and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.

Care plans reflected physical, mental, emotional, and social needs of people, including those related to protected characteristics under the Equality Act. Our review of clinical records showed people were supported to understand their condition and were involved in planning for their care needs. They were also involved in decisions about their care.

The service understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

We saw the service worked in partnership with other organisations to meet the needs of its patient population. The service had tailored its support to meet the diverse needs of the local community. For example, building relationships with community groups to promote the take up of screening programmes. There were established mechanisms for engaging with the community healthcare provider.

The service developed appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. Information provided by the service met the Accessible Information Standard. People were informed as to how to access their care records.

People were asked about their communication needs when they registered, and this was updated as and when necessary. Digital flags were added to people’s individual records and the service telephone system. This enabled staff to be aware of someone’s needs. Information was shared appropriately with other services, for example when they made a referral.

The service had a very comprehensive website with information for people including booking appointments, test results, prescriptions, and self-help leaflets. This ensured that people had access to information they needed. Information to promote the uptake of screening and immunisation programmes was available in a range of languages.

The service made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment, and support. They involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result. There was an active patient participation group (PPG) who represented the views of people using the service. We spoke with a representative from the PPG, and they described the strong relationship between the practice and the PPG, and how the practice encouraged, respected, and valued the PPG involvement. They explained that the relationship provided a forum to discuss issues important to people which was then shared with the practice team. The meetings provided an environment for discussions and agreements about the service and members were encouraged to contribute their views and suggestions.

We saw complaints were managed in line with the service’s policy. Learning from complaints was evident and staff were able to identify changes made because of patient feedback, including complaints.

The service made sure that people could access the care, support, and treatment they needed when they needed it. At our last inspection we identified people found it hard to access the practice. At this inspection we found this had improved but the practice was still working on addressing issues. People could access the service online, in person and by telephone. Treatment rooms were accessible; an automatic door had been fitted to the entrance and there was a lift. People with additional needs were offered extended appointments.

The 2025 GP Patient Survey indicated 37% of people found it easy to get through to this GP practice by phone compared with local averages of 45% and national averages of 53%. In terms of contacting the practice via its website, 51% of respondents reported that they found it easy. This was in line with the national average (51%), and notably higher than the local average (43%). The service had implemented a range of digital communication initiatives to improve patient engagement, access to healthcare services, and uptake of preventative care. The practice recognised that traditional communication methods such as telephone calls and letters could create barriers for some people and increase administrative workload. To address these challenges, the service introduced a digital communication strategy using SMS messaging, online links, digital screening invitations, and QR codes to support patient access and encourage proactive health management.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who were most likely to experience inequality or outcomes and tailored their care, support, and treatment in response to this. Staff understood the importance of providing an inclusive approach to care

Feedback provided by people using the service, both to the service as well as to CQC, was positive.

The service had processes to ensure people could register at the service, including those in vulnerable circumstances such as homeless people. Staff used appropriate systems to capture and review feedback from people using the service, including those who did not speak English or had no access to the internet.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life.

Our records review showed people were supported to consider their wishes for their end-of-life care, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This information was shared with other services when necessary.