During an assessment under our new approach
Date of Assessment: 08 December 2025 to 12 December 2025. Benfield Park Medical Group is a GP practice and delivers service to 10,422 patients under a contract held with NHS England. The National General Practice Profiles indicate that 86.33% of the population is White, with the remaining proportion made up of individuals from minority ethnic groups. Information published by Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the 2nd decile (2 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. The service did not always make sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences.
People were involved in assessments of their needs most of the time. 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. Care was mostly based on latest evidence and good practice. 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 knew how to give feedback and were confident the service took it seriously and acted on it. The service was easy to access and worked to eliminate discrimination. People received fair and equal care and treatment. The service worked to reduce health and care inequalities through training and feedback. People were involved in planning their care and understood options around choosing to withdraw or not receive care.
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 the systems for accountability and good governance. This meant the service was not always effectively monitoring and improving the quality and safety of the care provided.
We found a breach of regulation in relation to Safe Care and Treatment. We have asked the provider to respond to the concerns found at this assessment.