The Weobley and Staunton-On-Wye Surgeries

On this page

• Overview
• Assessing needs
• Delivering evidence-based care and treatment
• How staff, teams and services work together
• Supporting people to live healthier lives
• Monitoring and improving outcomes
• Consent to care and treatment

We looked for evidence that staff involved people in decisions about their care and treatment and provided them advice and support. Staff regularly reviewed people’s care and worked with other services to achieve this. At our last assessment, we rated this key question as good. At this assessment, the rating remains the same.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The practice made sure people’s care and treatment was effective by assessing and reviewing their health, care, wellbeing and communication needs with them. There were systems and processes in place to identify patient’s needs and preferences during the registration process. Flags were used in the patient’s care records to highlight specific individual needs, such as the requirement for longer appointments or for a translator to be present during an appointment. The practice had a culturally diverse team, including some staff that could speak multiple languages. Staff could refer people with social needs, such as those experiencing social isolation or housing difficulties to a social prescriber. Feedback from people using the service was positive. People felt involved in their care and felt confident that staff understood their individual and cultural needs. National GP Patient Survey data showed that people felt that during their last appointment, they had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw or spoke to. Our review of clinical records demonstrated that people’s care and treatment was regularly reviewed and updated.

The practice delivered care in line with legislation and current evidence-based good practice standards. Systems were in place to ensure staff were up to date with evidence-based guidance and legislation. This was reflected during our review of clinical records. Our findings showed the monitoring of people with long-term conditions was followed in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommendations. The practice developed policies that reflected evidence-based guidance and legislation.

The practice worked well across teams and services to support people. Information was shared between teams and services to ensure people only had to tell their story once and enable continuity of care when moving between different services. The information allowed staff to appropriately assess, plan, and deliver people’s care and treatment. The practice adopted a non-hierarchical ethos and open-door policy to encourage staff to speak up and ensure all queries were answered. Regular multi-disciplinary team meetings were had with the wider network including the district nurses.

The practice planned people’s care and treatment with them and considered what was important and mattered to them. People were supported to manage their own health and wellbeing to reduce the likelihood of needing care and support in the future. Health promotion material was observed in the practice and on their website such as smoking cessation leaflets that contained information that supported health initiatives. Staff focussed on identifying risks to patients’ health, including those in the last 12 months of their lives, patients at risk of developing a long-term condition and those with caring responsibilities. Staff supported national priorities and initiatives to improve population health, including stopping smoking and tackling obesity. Patients were encouraged to attend health screening and were able to use blood pressure monitors at home and use heart rate screening equipment at the practice to reduce the need to go to hospital.

The practice routinely monitored people’s care and treatment to continuously improve it. They ensured that outcomes were positive and consistent, and that they met both clinical expectations and the expectations of people themselves. They had arrangements in place to monitor people not attending for screening and follows up. For example, if a patient attended for another appointment, they would use this as an opportunity to offer screening such as immunisations. The practice had effective approaches to monitoring people’s care and treatment, and their outcomes. Clinical and non-clinical audits were carried out to improve outcomes for patients. Patients who required monitoring had the appropriate checks on their health.

Staff understood the importance of ensuring that people fully understood what they were consenting to and respected the importance of obtaining consent before they delivered care or treatment. People received information about care and treatment in a way they could understand and had appropriate support and time to make decisions. People’s capacity and ability to consent was considered and clearly recorded. Chaperones were available and chaperone posters were on display in the practice. Do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR) decisions were appropriate and were made in line with relevant legislation.