During an assessment under our new approach
Date of Assessment: 10-13 November 2025
The Brimington Surgery is a GP practice and delivers services to approximately 8,852 people under a contract held with NHS England. We carried out an assessment of this service because it has not had a comprehensive inspection since 12 April 2016.
The National General Practice Profiles states that the ethnic make-up of the practice area is 96.63% white, 1.2% mixed, 1.25% Asian, 0.6% black. and other 0.51%. 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.
The service had a good learning culture and people could raise concerns. Managers investigated incidents thoroughly. People were protected and kept safe. Staff understood and managed risks. The facilities and equipment met the needs of people, were clean, well-maintained and any risks mitigated. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. Managers made sure staff received training and regular appraisals to maintain high-quality care. The service made changes to the management of medicines following our remote searches to ensure medicines were managed well. However, systems for managing infection prevention and control did not always meet current guidance and standards.
People were involved in assessments of their needs. Staff reviewed assessments taking account of people’s communication, personal and health needs. Care was mostly 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 to make decisions in people’s best interests where they did not have capacity. The practice’s new policy for the management of people with asthma needed to be embedded into practice.
Staff protected people’s privacy and dignity. They treated people as individuals and supported their preferences. People had choice in their care and treatment. The service supported staff wellbeing and staff felt extremely valued by leaders.
People were involved in decisions about their care. The service provided information people could understand. 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 training and feedback. People were involved in planning their care and understood options around choosing to withdraw or not receive care.
Leaders and staff had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. Leaders were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, helping staff develop in their roles. Staff felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally, free from bullying or harassment. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities. Managers worked with the local community and clearly understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership with the local community. They were very receptive to new ideas and used innovative ways to deliver the best possible care. There was a culture of continuous improvement with staff given time and resources to try new ideas.
We found a breach of regulation in relation to care and treatment. In particular, infection prevention and control. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this assessment.