Benfield Park Medical Group

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

We looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.
At our last assessment, we rated this key question as good. At this assessment, the rating remains 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 had a shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities.
All staff had contributed to the development of the practice vision and strategy, which was kept under review. The practice was aware of the projected increase in the local population and was working with partner agencies to address future challenges.

The service had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness and honesty.
Staff told us leaders in the practice were approachable and responded to any concerns raised. Staff also told us leaders modelled the values of the practice. We saw the leadership team worked with other practices in the Primary Care Network (PCN) and were engaged in the development of primary care services within the local area.

The service fostered a positive culture where people felt able to speak up and confident that their concerns would be heard. The practice had established Freedom to Speak Up arrangements, and the process now included involvement from the Integrated Care Board (ICB). This was a new system introduced in November 2025 and had not yet been utilised at the time of the inspection. Prior to this, the practice had Freedom to Speak Up arrangements in place with another service within the PCN.

The service valued diversity within its workforce and worked towards creating an inclusive and fair culture by promoting equality and equity for all staff. Policies and procedures to support diversity and equality were in place. For example, job applications were processed through the NHS Jobs website, where applicants’ names remained concealed until after the shortlisting stage, helping to reduce unconscious bias and promote fair recruitment practices.

The service did not always have clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability or good governance. They did not always act on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, or share this securely with others when appropriate. The inspection identified concerns in three main areas. Systems for monitoring and prescribing high‑risk medicines were not always reliable, and essential safety checks were sometimes missed. The quality of medication reviews and long‑term condition management was also inconsistent, with some reviews lacking clinical assessment or timely follow‑up. In addition, governance and workflow processes were not always effective, with backlogs of documents, unreviewed laboratory results and variations in documentation contributing to gaps in oversight and potential delays in care. After the assessment the provider told us about the improvements they were putting in place.

At the same time, some aspects of leadership and management were working well. Leaders and managers supported staff, and those we spoke with were clear about their roles and responsibilities. Staff had access to required policies and procedures, and regular practice meetings were held to discuss clinical issues and emerging risks. Actions from these meetings were recorded and shared with the wider team, and staff demonstrated a strong understanding of patient confidentiality and information security. These strengths indicated that while improvements were needed, some effective governance processes were already in place within the service.

The service understood its duty to collaborate and work in partnership to ensure care was seamless for people. Leaders and staff shared information and learning with partner organisations and worked collectively to support improvement. The provider collaborated with other practices within the PCN to deliver services such as vaccination programmes, including flu and COVID‑19 clinics, contributing to wider community health provision. There was an active Patient Participation Group (PPG) that met regularly, and the service used this forum to gather direct feedback from members, which informed improvements and helped enhance patient experience and outcomes.

The service had a strong focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and within the local system. Leaders encouraged creative approaches to enhancing people’s experience, outcomes and quality of life. For example, the practice developed an allotment that patients could access to support their wellbeing where appropriate. Some patients reported being able to reduce certain medications due to the therapeutic benefits associated with working in the allotment.
The service was also involved in an ongoing UK clinical trial examining whether introducing small amounts of peanut and hen’s egg from 17 weeks of age can reduce the likelihood of food allergies by age one. Staff at the service contributed to this multisite study, which aims to generate evidence that may inform future national infant‑feeding guidelines.
The service designated one of its rooms as a warm space during colder periods for vulnerable people. The room was also used to host a range of patient support groups, including art sessions and a table‑tennis group, to promote social engagement and general physical and mental wellbeing. These initiatives were intended to provide additional support to patients by improving wellbeing and helping to reduce the risk of unnecessary hospital admissions. Leaders described an open and approachable leadership style, supported by an open‑door policy. Staff told us this made it easier to raise ideas, concerns or suggestions for improvement, and that leaders were receptive to feedback. This contributed to a positive learning culture and supported ongoing improvement activity across the service.