Ledbury Health Partnership

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

We looked for evidence that the service involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. This is the first inspection for this service since the two practices merged. This key question has been rated as good.

This service scored 85 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

There was a culture of kindness and respect within the practice. The practice was accredited veteran friendly with a member of staff a veteran themselves. The practice treated people with empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. The National GP Patient Survey Data demonstrated that 85% of respondents felt the healthcare professional was good at listening to them, which was lower than the local average of 89% and national average of 87%. 83% of respondents felt they were treated with care and concern during their last appointment, which was lower than the local average of 88% and national average of 86%. Arrangements were put in place to promote patients’ privacy. For example, the practice had introduced a sign in the reception area to inform patients if they wished to speak to a receptionist in a private area, this was available, chaperones were also available, privacy curtains were in all clinical rooms. During the site visit, we observed staff being helpful and polite to patients. This was also reflected in the patient feedback we received from our Give Feedback on Care’ process.

The practice treated people as individuals and was exceptional in how they made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. Personal, cultural, social, religious and equality characteristic needs were understood and met. Systems were in place to make sure patients were treated in ways that suited them. Individual preferences were noted on the patient record. The practice made reasonable adjustments for patients with disabilities and offered interpreting and translation services for those whose first language was not English, including British Sign Language support. Additionally, information could be provided on paper rather than digitally for patients who had difficulty using technology, ensuring that communication needs were met effectively. Following a sensory and autism awareness audit, the practice made the following changes: easy read signs on non-reflective backgrounds were added, the walls were painted neutral colours, a sensory friendly box was available that included items to ease patients, a quiet space was available, air conditioning was used to moderate the air temperature, photos of staff were seen in the waiting room and there was a walk through video on the website that allowed patients to become familiar with the surroundings before attending for their appointment. The changes within the practice were reflected in patient feedback as patients felt that the practice was very good at considering their individual needs.

The practice promoted people’s independence and supported them to make decisions about their care, treatment and wellbeing. They provided patients with information and guidance to enable them to make informed decisions about their care.Staff shared examples of how they supported people to have choice and control over their own care and to make decisions about their care, treatment and well-being. National GP Patient Survey data showed that 87% of the respondents felt involved as much as they wanted to be in decisions about their care and treatment during their last general practice appointment, which was lower than the local average of 93% and national average of 91%.

The practice listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. Staff knew how to respond when a patient needed urgent attention and knew the processes to follow to ensure emergency support was given. The practice shared an example of an emergency scenario that demonstrated how effective their processes were. We reviewed a random sample of staff training files during the onsite visit and found that staff were up to date with their basic life support training and sepsis training. There was an artificial intelligence (AI) triage system that helped identify urgency and ensured patients were directed to the most appropriate care first time. Various appointments were available such as face to face or telephone consultations. The social prescribers also offered support and signposted to other relevant services to meet the needs of patients.

The practice was exceptional at demonstrating that they cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff. Managers told us they valued their colleagues and had a strong focus on staff wellbeing. Staff reported they felt supported by their managers. Leaders had taken steps to recognise and meet the wellbeing needs of staff. For example, the practice had organised a therapeutic sound meditation experience that was very well received by staff, they had a counselling service available to them, a thank you board was displayed in the staff room that was regularly updated with positive feedback, 11am coffee breaks were used as a opportunity to socialise. Reasonable adjustments were also made for staff. For example, supporting chairs, anti-glare screens, dictation services to help those with dyslexia and work from home arrangements were considered. Daily exercise was also encouraged within the working day. A walking group was established by a staff member for staff to join. This offered an opportunity to improve mental health and physical activity.