During an assessment under our new approach
Date of Assessment: 13 to 16 October 2025. West Rainton Surgery is a GP practice and delivers service to 5,468 patients under a contract held with NHS England. The National General Practice Profiles states that 97.7% of the population was white, with 2.3% non-white ethnic groups. Information published by Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the 4th decile (4 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.
The service had a strong proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and complete honesty. Managers investigated incidents thoroughly. The service always worked well with people to fully understand and manage risks by thinking holistically. The facilities and equipment met the needs of people, were clean and well-maintained and any risks mitigated. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. Staff reported they received excellent support, effective supervision and opportunities to develop and progress in their careers. Managers made sure staff received training and regular appraisals to maintain high-quality care. In most cases staff managed medicines well and involved people in planning any changes.
The service always supported people to manage their health and wellbeing to fully maximise their independence, choice and control. The service supported people to live healthier lives and where possible, reduce their future needs for care and support. Staff reviewed assessments taking account of people’s communication, personal and health needs. Care was based on latest evidence and good practice. Staff worked with all agencies involved in people’s care for the best outcomes and smooth transitions when moving services. There was positive feedback from other healthcare professionals that worked in partnership with the practice. Staff made sure people understood their care and treatment to enable them to give informed consent. Staff involved those important to people took decisions in people’s best interests where they did not have capacity.
People were always treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. The practice was exceptional in how they made sure support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They were exceptional at promoting people’s independence to support people to have choice and control in their care and treatment. Staff were supported in an exceptional way to always deliver person-centred care. Several staff told us how highly they valued the support they had received.
The service was exceptional at making sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.
The service had an exceptional understanding of the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.
People knew how to give feedback and were confident the service took it seriously and acted on it. The service was easy to access and worked to eliminate discrimination. People received fair and equal care and treatment. The service worked to reduce health and care inequalities through targeted initiatives, training and feedback. People were involved in planning their care and understood options around choosing to withdraw or not receive care.
We found there was an inclusive, positive learning and improvement culture well-established within the practice. This drove improvements in outcomes for people who used the service. There were consistent examples of how inclusive the practice were in driving improvements for those who were most at risk of inequality and poor outcomes. We found the practice had an ethos of investing in staff to support good continuity of care and developing and maintaining a sustainable service. We found there was strong, highly regarded leadership within the practice. Staff reported very strongly of leaders valuing them, and the family feeling of the practice. Governance systems were well established and effective at supporting the practice to identify any risks, issues or concerns and mitigate these. The service was exceptional at fostering a positive culture where people knew they could speak up and their voice would be heard.