The Care Quality Commission
  • Doctor
  • GP practice

Whinfield Medical Practice

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Whinbush Way, Darlington, County Durham, DL1 3RT (01325) 481321

Provided and run by:
Whinfield Medical Practice

All Inspections

6 July 2023

During a monthly review of our data

We carried out a review of the data available to us about Whinfield Medical Practice 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 Whinfield Medical Practice, you can give feedback on this service.

4 March 2020

During an annual regulatory review

We reviewed the information available to us about Whinfield Medical Practice on 4 March 2020. 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.

20 March 2019

During a routine inspection

This practice is rated as Good overall. (Previous rating August 2015 – Good)

The key questions at this inspection are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Whinfield Medical Practice on 20 March 2019 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 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 involved and treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
  • Patients reported that they could access urgent care when they needed it but sometimes had problems getting through to the practice by telephone.
  • Staff reported that it was a supportive and caring place to work.
  • The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care.

Whilst we found no breaches of regulations, the provider should:

Review and improve the system for monitoring exception reporting.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice

Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence tables for further information.

24 March 2015

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Whinfield Medical Practice on 24 March 2015. Overall the practice is rated as good.

Specifically, we found the practice to be good for providing safe, effective, caring and responsive services that are well led.

Our key findings were as follows:

  • There were comprehensive systems in place to keep people safe, which took account of current best practice. The whole team was engaged in reviewing and improving safety. There was an open culture in which all safety concerns raised by staff and patients who used services were highly valued as integral to learning and improvement.
  • The practice was proactive to anticipating and managing risks.
  • The team was making use of clinical audit tools, intelligence monitoring tools, appraisals, clinical supervision and staff meetings to assess the performance of the practice and its staff.
  • All the patients we spoke with were positive about the care and treatment they received. The CQC comment cards and results of patient surveys showed that patients were consistently pleased with the service they received.
  • The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs. Information about how to complain was available and easy to understand.
  • There was good collaborative working between the practice and other health and social care agencies that ensured patients received the best outcomes. Clinical decisions followed best practice guidelines.
  • The practice met with the local Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) to discuss service performance and improvement issues.
  • The practice implemented suggestions for improvements and made changes to the way it delivered services as a consequence of feedback from patients and from the Patient Participation Group (PPG).
  • The practice had a clear vision which had quality and safety as its top priority. A strategy was in place, was monitored and regularly reviewed and discussed with all staff. High standards were promoted and owned by all practice staff with evidence of team working across all roles.

We saw areas of outstanding practice including:

  • The practice regularly worked with multi-disciplinary teams in the management of vulnerable people, including attendance at multi-disciplinary meetings. The practice followed the gold standards framework GSF) for end of life care. Monthly GSF meetings were held to discuss the care and support needs of patients and their families. External partners such as community matron, district nurse, Macmillan nurse and staff from the local hospice attended these meetings.
  • The practice had taken part in the ‘You’re Welcome Project’ since 2012 and met with a group of young people between the ages of 15 to 18 to discuss what services and information they needed to meet their particular needs.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice