Corbett Medical Practice

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.

This service scored 86 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider demonstrated an exceptionally clear and well-embedded vision, strategy and culture, underpinned by transparency, equity, equality, human rights, diversity, inclusion and meaningful engagement. Leaders displayed a deep understanding of the challenges facing both the practice and the wider community, and this understanding informed every aspect of strategic planning and service development. The vision was fully integrated into the day-to-day operation of the practice and consistently reflected in decision-making at all levels.

The GP partners and managers we spoke with demonstrated a shared commitment to delivering the practice's vision and achieving high-quality outcomes for patients and staff. Leadership was proactive, reflective and future focused. The leadership team undertook an annual strategic planning event where they critically reviewed the practice's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This process enabled leaders to develop ambitious yet realistic short-term objectives alongside a comprehensive 5-year strategy. These plans were regularly reviewed and used to shape the practice's priorities, ensuring the organisation remained responsive to emerging challenges and opportunities. We saw evidence which showed leaders consistently embedded these values throughout the organisation, from recruitment and comprehensive induction processes through to performance management, professional development and succession planning. This was demonstrated through exceptionally high staff retention rates, which directly benefited patients by ensuring continuity of care from staff who had built trusted relationships with them over many years.

There was a positive, compassionate and inclusive culture where people felt listened to, valued and empowered to contribute. Learning, development and continuous improvement were clearly prioritised. Staff feedback collected by CQC was overwhelmingly positive, with staff describing a supportive and collaborative environment where their wellbeing was actively considered. Leaders had created a culture of openness enabling staff to raise concerns, share ideas and participate in service improvement. The sustainability of this culture was reflected in the practice's high staff retention rates and consistently low turnover, demonstrating staff were engaged, motivated and committed to the organisation.

Leaders demonstrated a strong understanding of the changing needs of their population and had taken a proactive and innovative approach to future planning. They had undertaken an analysis of projected population growth and had incorporated this intelligence into both operational and strategic plans. Robust systems were in place to forecast list-size growth and ensure services remained responsive to increasing demand. The provider had secured planning permission to significantly expand its clinical and administrative capacity. This demonstrated a clear commitment to investing in the future needs of the population. Leaders also described how this forward-planning approach was replicated across all teams, ensuring resilience, flexibility and sufficient capacity to maintain high-quality care during periods of staff absence or leave. As a result, the practice was well positioned to meet both current and future demand while maintaining continuity and quality of care.

The provider 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 the organisation exceptionally well. The leadership team was highly stable, with many leaders having worked within the practice for a considerable number of years. This provided continuity, strong organisational knowledge and consistent leadership. Roles, responsibilities and accountability were clearly defined and aligned to individual expertise, enabling leaders to make effective decisions and provide clear direction across the organisation. The provider had robust management and governance arrangements in place, ensuring staff understood reporting structures and knew where to access support when required. Staff consistently described an open and accessible leadership team and told us they felt confident approaching any member of the leadership team for advice, guidance or support, knowing they would be listened to and treated with respect.

Leaders consistently demonstrated integrity, openness and honesty in their approach. They had created a positive and empowering culture where people felt valued, supported and encouraged to reach their full potential. Staff development was a clear priority, and leaders actively invested in learning opportunities, including leadership development programmes and career progression pathways. Leaders described how supporting staff to develop their skills and progress within the organisation had contributed to high levels of staff retention and workforce stability. This, in turn, supported continuity of care and helped ensure positive outcomes and experiences for patients.

Staff told us leaders were approachable, visible and inclusive, and worked alongside teams to deliver the highest standards of patient care. Staff survey results were consistently high and there was a strong emphasis on collaboration and engagement, with leaders creating both formal and informal opportunities for staff to contribute their views, share learning and seek support. Examples included regular team meetings, training sessions and informal coffee and lunch gatherings, which staff described as valuable opportunities to strengthen relationships and discuss both clinical and operational matters. Staff told us they felt comfortable discussing clinical queries and seeking advice, and felt leaders actively listened to their perspectives and demonstrated genuine concern for their wellbeing. This inclusive and supportive approach fostered a strong sense of belonging, enhanced morale and promoted a highly engaged workforce.

The leadership team presented as a cohesive and united group with a shared commitment to providing compassionate, inclusive and effective leadership. Leaders had a strong understanding of the needs of their workforce, and the views they shared during the inspection closely aligned with the experiences described by staff. This demonstrated leaders were visible, engaged and responsive, and had established a culture based on trust, mutual respect and shared purpose. Staff feedback consistently reflected confidence in leadership and pride in working for the organisation.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard. The provider had established Freedom to Speak up arrangements with other practices in the primary care network and posters about this were clearly displayed. Staff were aware of how to raise concerns, but due to the culture of the practice said they would be happy to raise these within the practice.

The provider valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who worked for them.

Policies and procedures to promote diversity and equality were in place. Senior leaders were aware of how to address concerns relating to discrimination if these were raised. Adjustments had been made to ensure all staff were valued. For example, we saw adjustments to support staff to have a good home/work life balance were in place.

The provider had clear lines of responsibility, accountability and oversight, supported by well-established governance systems and processes which were fully embedded across the organisation. These arrangements enabled leaders to effectively monitor, manage and continually improve the quality, safety and sustainability of care and treatment. Governance processes were not viewed as a standalone function but were integrated into day-to-day practice, supporting a culture of learning, transparency and continuous improvement.

Leaders maintained comprehensive oversight of most aspects of the service and used a wide range of reliable information and performance data to inform decision-making, identify opportunities for improvement and mitigate emerging risks. However, during the inspection process gaps in oversight were identified such as in emergency medicines. Leaders responded to this immediately and reviewed the area of concerns.

Information was shared appropriately and securely with partner organisations and external stakeholders to support coordinated care and positive outcomes for patients. This proactive and data-driven approach contributed to consistently strong performance, with Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) results remaining above both local Integrated Care Board and national averages.

Leaders and managers provided highly effective support to staff and had established a culture in which accountability, development and continuous learning were valued. Staff consistently demonstrated a clear understanding of their individual roles and responsibilities and how these contributed to the wider objectives of the organisation. Regular appraisals, performance reviews and developmental conversations enabled staff to reflect on their practice, identify learning opportunities and enhance their contribution to patient care. Governance arrangements were proportionate, effective and understood throughout the organisation. Staff had easy access to up-to-date policies, procedures and guidance and were encouraged to engage with governance processes. Regular practice meetings created opportunities for multidisciplinary discussion, shared learning and the timely identification of clinical concerns and emerging risks. Actions arising from meetings were clearly documented, monitored and followed through, ensuring learning translated into meaningful improvements in practice. Staff demonstrated a strong commitment to maintaining patient confidentiality and information security, reflecting a culture of professionalism and accountability.

Leaders had established a comprehensive and well-embedded programme of clinical and operational audits which drove measurable improvements in patient care and service delivery. Audits were used not only to monitor performance but to identify trends, challenge existing practice and promote innovation. Findings were shared openly with staff to encourage reflection, learning and collective ownership of improvement activities. Where areas for improvement were identified, leaders implemented timely actions and evaluated their effectiveness through repeat audit cycles. This systematic approach to quality improvement fostered a culture where staff were empowered to learn, develop and continuously enhance the care provided to patients. As a result, the provider demonstrated a strong track record of sustained improvement, high-quality outcomes and effective organisational learning.

Leaders and staff understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services work 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 ensure people living in their area received a good level of care. Staff had made adjustments to improve coordination of their service with community healthcare services, including referring to both community and voluntary organisations.

Leaders had used their involvement and roles within the PCN to ensure the practice was at the forefront of any opportunities offered to be involved in improving the health of their local community.

Leaders demonstrated a strong and sustained commitment to continuous learning, innovation and improvement across both the organisation and the wider local system. They always encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome and quality of life for people.

The provider was actively involved in a range of quality improvement and research projects. This included being an early adopter of a menopause policy, despite this not being a requirement for organisations with more than 250 staff. Staff had completed a quality improvement programme for hormone replacement therapy and use of the Mirena coil. All patients using this were reviewed which resulted in nurses being trained to complete reviews, enhanced monitoring was put in place and a risk leaflet given to patients.

A review of B12 injections used to treat vitamin B12 deficiency was completed to ensure all patients were receiving this in line with the latest national guidance. As a result, a number of patients were identified as no longer meeting the criteria for ongoing injections. This led to a significant reduction in demand for the service and was estimated to release approximately 1,000 healthcare assistant appointments over a 12-month period, improving capacity for other patient care activities.

Additionally, the practice was involved in a National Institute for Health and Care Research project looking at prostate cancer and a West Midlands Cancer Alliance project to looking at pancreatic cancer.

Learning from these projects was systematically shared during protected learning time, ensuring all staff benefited from increased knowledge, skills and training. The provider had a long-established role as a GP training practice and demonstrated the positive impact of this, with several former trainees choosing to return to work at the practice.