St Margaret's Medical 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 to promote patients’ privacy. National GP Patient Survey data reflected people felt listened to and were treated with kindness.

For example, 96% of patients felt they were involved as much as they wanted to be in decisions about their care and treatment during their last general practice appointment, exceeding the average locally and nationally of about 90% and 91%. Additionally, 78% reported a good experience when contacting their GP practice, exceeding the average locally and nationally of about 71% and 70%.

Staff we spoke with understood Gillick competency 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 practice was committed to personalised care, with no barriers to registration for people without documentation, including people experiencing homelessness and asylum seekers. Patients could record access requirements through the triage process, such as needing assistance with stairs or alternative waiting arrangements. These needs were recorded in patient records where appropriate.

Patients’ personal, cultural, social, religious and equality characteristics needs were understood and met. Patient communication needs were met to enable them to be fully involved in their care. Interpreter services, including British Sign Language and Language Line, were available and the practice website also offered translation options.

The service promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. They supported this by identifying individual communication needs and putting reasonable adjustments in place. The practice offered multiple contact options (online, phone, walk-in, or in‑practice iPad) and ensured staff completed forms for patients who cannot, reducing access barriers. Access needs were identified and appointments adapted accordingly. Targeted support improved access for people with learning disabilities, including flexible appointments and combined visits. Staff helped patients and their carers to access advocacy and community-based services.

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. The practice used total triage to ensure patients were directed to the right clinician, in the right setting, at the right time. Staff and the Patient Participation Group were actively involved in the development of the system, which was regularly reviewed and refined using feedback from patients and staff.

Staff we spoke with knew the process for referral to emergency support, including mental health crisis teams. A structured system was in place to support the safe management and oversight of all triage activity. All incoming contacts were assessed using clear protocols designed to identify red‑flag symptoms and ensure concerns were escalated promptly.

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 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. These included staff social and wellbeing activities, such as paddleboarding, team‑building days, and informal initiatives such as “pizza Fridays”. Staff also described practical wellbeing provisions, including flexibility to support childcare needs, provision of individual headsets, improved seating, standing desks, and new coffee machines in both kitchens with a variety of drink options. Staff reported being supported if they were struggling at work. Leaders described access to an Employee Assistance Programme, which provided free, confidential counselling support for all staff and was also available to partners and family members.