Birbeck Medical Group

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 the service met people’s needs, and staff treated people equally and without discrimination. At our last assessment, we rated this key question as good. At this assessment, the rating remains the same.

This service scored 79 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

We did not look at Person-centred Care during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Care provision, Integration and continuity during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Providing Information during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Listening to and involving people during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

The service was exceptional at ensuring people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

During our site visit we observed systems in place whereby a duty doctor worked within the reception team each day to efficiently triage all clinical decisions relating to incoming patient appointment requests. Staff and leaders we spoke with told us this system had been well received by patients, staff and other services within the primary care network (PCN) as it enabled clinical decisions to be assessed robustly in real time whilst patients were booking appointments. This was mirrored in feedback from people we reviewed during our assessment and the 2025 National GP Patient Survey. Leaders told us that after review of the effectiveness of this system, other services within the PCN have requested to observe the process so they can implement triage changes within their services.

The service understood the demographics of their patient population and made sure people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. For example, weekend appointments were available and they had extended appointments for people with a learning disability or autism and a sensory box in reception area with earmuffs and stress balls to use in waiting area. People could access the service to suit their needs, for example online, in person and by telephone, including home visits for the vulnerable. Treatment rooms were available on the ground floor, with level access throughout and a disabled access door had been fitted to the entrance to ensure ease of access to the service.

The service performed better than the national average in the results of the 2025 National GP Patient Survey. This showed people could access the service when they needed it in a way that suited their needs, such as by telephone, in person or through the service’s website. For example, 80% of respondents to the survey described their overall experience of contacting this service as being good, compared to a national average of 70%. In response to feedback from people who used the service, staff had made changes to improve access, this included the ability to book appointments between 8am and 6pm, instead of having to contact the service at 8am.
 

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who were most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes. They tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this. The service took a proactive approach to supporting people with learning disabilities, for example a dedicated lead would contact patients and invite them to attend. The service also carried out visits to homes and day centres, if that made patients more comfortable.

Staff treated people equally and without discrimination. Leaders proactively sought ways to address any barriers to improving people’s experience and worked with local services to address any local health inequalities. The service accommodated home visits for vulnerable patients.

Staff used systems to capture and review feedback from people who had attended this service, which was positive. Staff understood the importance of providing an inclusive approach to care and made adjustments to support equity in people’s experience and outcomes. Staff followed processes to ensure people could register at the service, including those in vulnerable circumstances. This was reflected in the feedback shared from people who used the service, which was positive.
 

We did not look at Planning for the future during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.