- GP practice
Ash Trees Surgery
Assessment report published 22 June 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 5 March 2026 to 11 March 2026. Ash Trees Surgery is a GP practice that delivers service to 24,833 under a contract held with NHS England. The practice also has branch surgeries at Milnthorpe, Arnside, Silverdale, Bolton-le-Sands, and Halton. The branch at Milnthorpe has a GP dispensary. Some GP surgeries not only prescribe medication to patients, but also dispense, rather than medicines being dispensed by community pharmacies. This is usually due to the accessibility of pharmacies in rural areas.
The National General Practice Profiles states that 98% of patients are White, and 2% are Asian, Black, Mixed or Other. Information published by Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the 9th decile (9 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 practice was working within and how this impacted service delivery. Where relevant, further commentary is provided in the quality statements section of this report.
SAFE
The service had a good learning culture and people could raise concerns. Although managers investigated incidents thoroughly, investigations and outcomes were not always fully recorded. The facilities and equipment met the needs of people, were clean and well-maintained, but not all risks were recorded, and it was not always clear how they were mitigated. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience, but supervision was less formalised and not always written down. Managers made sure staff received training to maintain high-quality care, but not all had received regular appraisals. Staff involved people in planning their medicines and informed them of changes, but they did not always manage some elements of medicines management well.
EFFECTIVE
People were involved in assessments of their needs. Staff reviewed assessments taking account of people’s communication, personal and health needs. Care was 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. Staff made sure people understood their care and treatment to enable them to give informed consent. Staff involved those important to people took decisions in people’s best interests where they did not have capacity.
CARING
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.
RESPONSIVE
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.
WELL-LED
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. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities. Managers worked with the local community to deliver the best possible care and were receptive to new ideas. There was a culture of continuous improvement with staff given time and resources to try new ideas. However, there were some areas where documentation of actions taken could be improved and oversight of some issues was not effective.
People's experience of this service
People were mostly positive about the quality of their care and treatment. Recent survey results from the NHS Friends and Family Test, showed people were satisfied with services. Results from the National GP patient survey which was published in July 2025 showed that 63% of respondents reported a positive overall experience of their GP practice compared to 75% nationally and 78% locally. Additionally, 56% of respondents reported a good overall experience of contacting this GP practice, compared to 70% nationally and 73% locally. However, since that survey, the practice had introduced a new process for patients to contact them and gain access to appointments. This had brought about an improvement in patient satisfaction, and the provider was confident that the next National GP patient survey will be more positive. Feedback we received from patients in connection with this assessment was positive. There was an active patient participation group (PPG) who represented the views of people using the service.