Towcester Medical Centre

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 assessed all the quality statements from this key question. 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. We found there was an inclusive and positive culture of continuous learning and improvement shared by all staff. Leaders proactively supported staff and collaborated with partners to deliver care that was safe, integrated and person-centred. There was a system of governance that aimed to manage risks and keep people safe; however, we found some areas needed strengthening, in particular in relation to safe medicines optimisation in the dispensary. The leadership team was prompt to respond to feedback received during our assessment and implemented improvements where needed. Leaders had a clear business plan and gathered feedback and information about risks, performance and outcomes which they used effectively to make decisions about future developments. There was an exceptional focus on innovation. 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 service had a very clear shared vision, strategy and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and an exceptional understanding of the 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 vision statement described the practice as ‘a forward-thinking, welcoming practice, providing comprehensive and holistic care for its patients, committed to training the next generation of healthcare professionals’. 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 exceptionally 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 always did so with integrity, openness and honesty. Their ethos transpired to the rest of the staffing team. There were clearly defined roles and responsibilities, with a maintained roles register to support staff.

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 and were engaged in the development of primary care services within the local area.

The service fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. The practice had established Freedom to Speak up arrangements with other practices in the primary care network. Staff were aware of how to raise concerns.

The practice valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who work for them. Policies and procedures to promote diversity and equality were in place. There were robust, fair and transparent recruitment policies and procedures. All staff had completed equality and diversity training. Adjustments had been made to ensure all staff were valued. Staff felt included and leaders had a structure in place to ensure staff had equal opportunities for career development.

The practice had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They had systems to monitor risk, performance and outcomes, and share information securely with others when appropriate. However, we found areas that required strengthening, particularly in the dispensary. For example, we found gaps in systems for recording fridge temperatures in the fridge in the dispensary and for recording incidents and near misses. We noted there was also no named lead for the dispensary. The practice leadership team were prompt to respond and took immediate action to strengthen standard operating procedures to reduce potential risks identified.

Leaders and managers supported staff, and all staff we spoke with were clear on their individual roles and responsibilities. Managers met with staff regularly to complete appraisals and performance reviews. Staff could access all required policies and procedures. Managers held regular practice meetings with staff, during which they discussed clinical concerns and emerging risks. Managers clearly recorded any actions arising from these meetings and ensured they shared these with staff. Staff took patient confidentiality and information security seriously.

The practice understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services worked seamlessly for people. They shared information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement.

The provider worked with other practices within their primary care network (PCN) to offer extended access. There was an active and well-established patient participation group (PPG). Staff worked with community healthcare services, including through established meetings centred on the care of people who were housebound or had long term conditions.

The service had a strong focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They always encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people. They actively contributed to safe, effective practice and research.

The success of the Age Well home visiting concept had laid the foundation for Towcester Medical Centre, along with other surrounding practices, to win a bid to become a pilot innovator site in Northamptonshire to deliver a New Models of Care programme as part of the transition toward Neighbourhood working and the 10-year NHSE framework. One of the GPs from the practice was the Clinical Lead on this for the local neighbourhood (population of 90,000) and hoped to expand the home visiting concept to a larger footprint. At the time of our assessment, the practice was in the development phase with an anticipated go live date of 1st April 2026.

Leaders also spoke of a multimorbidity clinic that was being developed at the time of our assessment. The practice had identified 172 patients who would meet the criteria. The aim of this clinic was to provide a multidisciplinary team (MDT) approach to support these patients. The team included a GP, a practice nurse with suitable chronic disease management skills and a pharmacist. Patients were set to receive an extended consultation (30 to 45 minutes) as a group, with an MDT approach tailored to the individual patient, covering all aspects of their morbidity and polypharmacy. Leaders advised they hoped to emphasise lifestyle medicine and support patients with their individual struggles.

The practice was a teaching and training practice. They supported medical students training to be doctors and supported GP registrars, who are qualified doctors training to become GPs. There was evidence of a strong commitment to supporting learning and development in others. Leaders advised they had been early adopters of their total triage system, which was led each day by a GP and dedicated receptionist. Due to the success of their systems, they were continuously training and supporting other practices nationally to enable them to adopt similar systems.