The Armada Family Practice

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.
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 always treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.
Arrangements were in place such as privacy curtains to protect people’s privacy. Staff were aware of their responsibilities in maintaining a person's dignity and safety during an intimate examination. In the reception area, there were areas where private conversations could take place.
We observed notices around the service advising chaperones were available and how to request one.
However, results from the 2025 National GP Patient Survey were below local and national averages. For example, 72% of respondents felt the healthcare professional was good at listening to them during their appointment, compared with a national average of 87%. In addition, 69% of respondents felt the healthcare professional treated them with care and concern, compared with a national average of 86%. Furthermore, 83% of respondents reported confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw or spoke to, compared with the national average of 93%. In comparison, people responding to the service’s NHS FFT feedback survey from January 2026 were more positive in their responses. Comments included staff being helpful, polite and friendly. During our site visit, we observed positive interactions between staff and people.
 

The service treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.
Staff told us how they could make adjustments to meet people’s individual needs. This included easy to read leaflets on healthy living, which had relevant guidance and advice. Appointments were scheduled, when possible, with staff who the person was familiar with to provide continuity of care and treatment.
Translation services were available to support people who did not speak English as a first language. People’s personal, cultural, social, religious and equality characteristics needs were understood and met, this enabled them to be fully involved in their care.
The service provided support to vulnerable groups, for example, a dementia cafe for people living with dementia. This initiative had led to the service winning ‘Practice of the Year’ at the Bristol Dementia Awards 2025.
 

The service promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment, and wellbeing.
Staff helped people and their carers to access advocacy and community-based services and a health coach working within the service hosted a monthly carer’s meeting to provide support and advice. The service displayed leaflets and posters containing information on local community groups.
The service supported people through coaching sessions, examples included people who had been supported to increase their independence whilst having choice and control over their own lives.
However, results from the 2025 National GP Patient Survey indicated only 78% of respondents stated that during their last appointment they were involved as much as they wanted to be in decisions about their care and treatment, which was below the national average of 91%.
 

The service 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.
There was a system for the triage of appointments that ensured people with immediate needs had access to services. A secure online consultation system allowed people to communicate with the service. A clinical team carried out the triage and could book people in for appointments or contact them for further information if necessary. People were directed to the most appropriate clinician for their needs.
Staff we spoke with understood the process for referral to emergency support. This included when people required urgent medical attention and how to respond if a person was deteriorating.
 

The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to deliver person-centred care. Staff told us they were valued by leaders.
Leaders had taken steps to recognise and meet the wellbeing needs of staff, which included the necessary resources and facilities for safe working, such as regular breaks and rest areas. In addition, opportunities were provided for staff to discuss situations which may have been challenging for them, such as if they had had a difficult conversation with someone using the service.
A health and wellbeing coach whose primary role was to support people using the service, also supported staff in the workplace by offering coaching sessions and wellbeing activities, such as yoga. Staff also had access to an occupational health service. Reasonable adjustments such as working on specific days were put in place where required.