Spring Hill 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 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 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 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 understood the values of putting people first, treating them with dignity, and working together to provide safe and compassionate care. Leaders made sure these values were part of everyday practice rather than just statements on paper. The culture was open and respectful. Staff described feeling valued and motivated in their roles, with leaders who listened and recognised their contributions. Staff told us they felt included and supported. They said managers were approachable and encouraged them to share ideas or raise concerns. Regular meetings and supervision gave staff time to reflect on their work, learn from each other, and stay focused on what mattered most to the people they supported.

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. The service had an open culture where staff felt confident to speak up if they had concerns or ideas for improvement. Staff told us they were listened to and felt safe raising issues without fear of negative consequences. Leaders promoted honesty and transparency, encouraging staff to share concerns early so they could be addressed quickly. There were clear policies in place, and staff knew how to access them if they wanted to raise a concern formally. Regular team meetings and supervision sessions gave further opportunities for staff to talk openly about their experiences.

The service valued diversity in their workforce. They work 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. Adjustments had been made to ensure all staff were valued, and the wellbeing of staff was supported. The service promoted a culture of equality, diversity, and inclusion. Leaders ensured staff were recruited fairly and valued for their skills, knowledge, and personal qualities, regardless of background or personal circumstances. Policies and procedures supported equal opportunities, and staff told us they felt respected and treated fairly. Training in equality and diversity was provided, and staff understood the importance of creating an inclusive environment both within the workplace and in the care they delivered. Staff said the service encouraged openness and respected individual differences, which helped build a positive and supportive team culture.

The service had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver high-quality, sustainable care, treatment and support. They always acted on the best information about risk, performance and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate.

Leaders met with staff regularly to complete appraisals and performance reviews. The service had established governance processes that were appropriate for their service. Leaders held regular practice meetings with staff, during which they discussed clinical concerns and emerging risks. Leaders clearly recorded any actions arising from these meetings and ensured they shared these with staff.

The service promoted sustainability and were proactively working to reduce its carbon footprint. The service had previously won a Green Impact Award.

Staff felt the service was organised and well managed. There was regular and clear communication. They had access to all required policies and procedures which were reviewed regularly by leaders. All staff we spoke to felt supported and were clear on their individual roles and responsibilities. Staff took confidentiality and information security seriously.

Regular safety audits were performed with clear actions. There was a business continuity plan which detailed emergency preparedness in different scenarios. There were robust systems and processes to ensure mandatory checks were carried out, such as fire extinguishers and calibration of clinical equipment.

There were effective processes for staff recruitment, and we saw evidence of appropriate checks being carried out for new staff. Staff had completed all mandatory training, such as data security and protection, and leaders had oversight of what had been completed.

The provider 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. Staff and leaders, we spoke with were open and transparent, and they collaborated with all relevant external stakeholders and agencies. The provider was working alongside their patient participant group to improve health care services for the local community. For example, they had contacted members of parliament to highlight the need for improvement in the processing X-ray investigations at the local hospital. They had also, raised a formal case to address concerns about the lack of phlebotomy services in the local area. Finally, they are working in conjunction with Warwickshire Connect to improve network connection in the local area which will support telephone access to the surgery.

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 service and research.

Leaders used their knowledge and additional training and resources to seek out and embed new and innovative ways of working. The service had a quality improvement plan in place and used recognised quality improvement methodologies to help shape and drive improvements in services. The service had systems for learning and improvement, which shared outcomes with staff.

The service demonstrated a multidisciplinary approach across clinical and non- clinical teams fostering a strong ambition to promote continuous development and learning. This highlighted a culture where staff were encouraged to share knowledge, receive constructive feedback, and pursue continuous professional development, which built trust and engagement.

The service had previously won a Green Impact Award. This scheme promoted sustainability and good service through several different initiatives carried out as a provider. For example, the provider reduced paper waste and resource consumption by promoting green prescriptions and utilising AccuRx and the primary care network website rather than printing materials and they changed ink toners to ensure they could be recycled and switched to fair trade alternatives for staff refreshments.