Towcester Medical Centre

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• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

We assessed all the quality statements from this key question. We looked for evidence that the service involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. The practice had an active patient participation group (PPG), which the practice routinely approached for feedback on the services they provided. We found the practice was providing a caring service overall and this was reflected in the national GP patient survey data. 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 treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. People we received feedback from said they were listened to and treated with kindness and compassion. People described how they had been supported by staff at the practice. National GP patient survey data showed people felt listened to and treated with kindness. 90% of patients surveyed said they felt the healthcare professional they saw was good at treating them with care and concern which was above the national average of 87%. A member of the PPG we spoke with described friendly, caring staff.

Arrangements were in place to promote patients’ privacy.Staff we spoke with understood Gillick competency and there was a process to ensure young adults had control over their own privacy and the amount of parental involvement in managing their care and support. Staff ensured reasonable adjustments were recorded and observed for people with protected characteristics or specific wishes.

The practice treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. People were treated with respect and dignity and supported to manage their health in a way that made sense to them. Feedback received from people suggested that staff took account of their individual circumstances during consultations. Staff explained how they assessed, understood and recorded people’s needs and preferences to make sure their care and treatment was individualised and tailored to their circumstances. Results of the National GP patient survey 2025, found 92% of patients surveyed felt the healthcare professional they saw was good at listening, this was above the national average of 87%.

Patients’ personal, cultural, social, religious and equality characteristics needs were understood and met. Patient communication needs were met to enable them to be fully involved in their care. Leaders advised how they had created a quiet room for patients, they had done so in collaboration with a local support organisation for people with learning disabilities. They planned to further adapt the room to encompass additional adaptations such as sensory support aids.

The practice promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Staff helped patients and their carers to access advocacy and community-based services. Information was available in the waiting area and on the practice website which advised people how to access a range of support groups and organisations. Results of the national GP patient survey 2025, found 92% of patients surveyed felt they were involved in decisions about care and treatment.

The practice listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. Staff and leaders told us they provided translation services, including British Sign Language to accommodate people who required this during their appointments.

There was an exceptional system for appointment triage that ensured people with immediate needs had access to services. We saw there was a doctor on call available each day in the reception area, supported by a dedicated receptionist to ensure appropriate and timely triage of patient queries and appointment requests.

Staff we spoke with knew the process for referral to emergency support, including mental health crisis teams. People we spoke with felt their needs had been met by the practice and this was reflected in the national GP patient survey results. We reviewed a random sample of staff training records and saw all staff had appropriate training in emergency procedures such as fire and basic life support. Staff understood the emergency procedures and their role in them. The practice held regular fire drills.

Leaders demonstrated an exceptional commitment to staff wellbeing and created a culture where people felt highly valued and supported. Staff consistently told us they felt respected and appreciated by leaders. Staff surveys were undertaken routinely. Leaders went above and beyond to recognise and respond to wellbeing needs, ensuring staff had access to resources and facilities which promoted safe and effective working. This included regular breaks and a comfortable rest area. Leaders provided thoughtful initiatives such as lunches during team meetings, staff bonuses and staff bingo whereby staff were included in the opportunity to win prizes throughout the year. All staff received a birthday card and there was recognition for service length. Staff described feeling fully supported when facing challenges. These actions reflected a strong, proactive approach to staff wellbeing, which contributed to the delivery of consistently high-quality, person-centred care.