Loddon Vale 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 staff involved people in decisions about their care and treatment and provided them advice and support. Staff regularly reviewed people’s care and worked with other services to achieve this.

People were involved in assessments of their needs. 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. 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. This key question has been rated as good.

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.

National GP Patient Survey data reflected people felt listened to and were treated with kindness. For example, 80% of the respondents indicated the healthcare professional they saw or spoke with was good at treating them with care and concern during their last general practice appointment. This was slightly lower than the national average of 86%. Staff we spoke with understood Gillick competency (it is a legal principle that determines if a child under 16 has the capacity to consent to their own medical treatment without parental knowledge or consent) and there was a process to ensure young adults had control over their own privacy and the amount of parental involvement in managing their care and support.

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.

The recent patient survey results indicated that 92% of the respondentsfelt their needs were met during their last general practice appointment. This was higher than the national average of 90%.

Staff told us patients living with dementia were being offered longer appointments, separate seating areas and access to printed or emailed consultation notes if required.

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 patients and their carers to access advocacy and community-based services.

Information about referrals was provided in a way that was clear and accessible. Where patients had additional communication needs, reasonable adjustments had been made.

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.

Staff we spoke with knew the process for referral to emergency support, including mental health crisis teams.

The practice has stratified patients based on needs with highest risk groups being prioritised for structured medication reviews, personalised care plans and continuity of care with their usual GP.

Leaders provided examples of complaints or conflicts that had been deescalated by staff in the moment. There was a system in place for appointment triage that ensured people with immediate needs had access to services.

The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.

Staff told us leaders valued them. 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.

Staff reported being given opportunities to grow. Staff learning and development needs were regularly assessed, and we saw evidence of a paramedic being supported to complete independent prescribing training while employed with the service.