- GP practice
Stephenson Park Health Group
Assessment report published 5 June 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 21 May 2026 to 27 May 2026. Stephenson Park Health Group is a GP practice and delivers service to approximately 17,676 patients under a contract held with NHS England. The practice operates across 3 sites: Forest Hall, White Swan, and Garden Park. The National General Practice Profiles states that 20.7% of patients are aged 65 years or over, compared with the England average of 18%. Information published by Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the 5th decile (5 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 service was working within and how this impacted service delivery. Where relevant, further commentary is provided in the quality statements section of this report.
This was a focused assessment carried out as a follow-up to the previous assessment conducted in March 2025, when the service was rated good overall but received a requires improvement rating under the key question of Safe. At that time, a breach of safe care and treatment was identified. The purpose of this follow-up assessment was to evaluate the progress made in addressing the identified concerns and to determine whether the necessary improvements had been implemented to ensure compliance.
The service had a good learning culture where staff felt able to raise concerns, and managers investigated incidents appropriately. People were protected from avoidable harm, and staff understood how to identify and manage risks.
The facilities and equipment generally met the needs of people, were clean and well maintained, and risks were mitigated where identified. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience to meet people’s needs. Improvements had been made to staff support arrangements, including regular appraisals and strengthened oversight of staff competence.
Systems for the management of medicines had improved, particularly in relation to monitoring high-risk medicines, supporting the delivery of safer care.
However, some improvements were still required, particularly in relation to infection prevention and control (IPC) arrangements and providing assurance of staff immunisation status in line with national guidance.
Since the last assessment, the practice had made improvements and is no longer in breach of safe care and treatment.
People's experience of this service
People were positive about the quality of their care and treatment.
According to the 2025 National GP Patient Survey, 82% of patients who responded reported a good overall experience with the practice, above the national average of 75%. Additionally, 93% of those who responded said the healthcare professionals they saw or spoke with treated them with care and concern, compared to the national average of 86%. Furthermore, 98% of respondents reported that their needs were met, which is above the national average of 90%.
Between December 2025 and March 2026, 434 patients responded to the Friends and Family Test. Feedback was positive, with over 87% of respondents rating the service as good or very good.
Feedback from the aligned care home indicated that residents received safe and appropriate care. Communication was described as good, and overall care met residents’ needs. We were advised that GP visit frequency had reduced; however, residents had access to twice-weekly ward rounds from a frailty nurse, which supported ongoing care.
Patient Participation Group (PPG) feedback indicated that no meetings had been held for over a year, with a desire expressed for the group to be reinstated, highlighting an opportunity for the practice to strengthen patient engagement.