- GP practice
Peartree Practice
Report from 2 June 2025 assessment
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 14 July 2025 to 30 July 2025. Peartree Practice is a GP provider and delivers support to 19,445 patients under a contract held with NHS England. The provider also has a branch site located in Bitterne. The National General Practice Profiles states that demographics are in line with local and national averages. Information published by the 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. The demographics of the people using the practice were considered as part of this inspection. Where relevant, further commentary is provided in the quality statements section of this report. We inspected in response to the information we held about the practice. We carried out this assessment in response to concerns received that included medicines management.The inspection found the provider's medicines management processes were effective, despite the initial concerns that led to the inspection. The practice had a learning culture and people could raise concerns. Managers investigated incidents thoroughly however there was a lack of shared learning. People were protected and kept safe. Staff understood and managed risks. 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 however recruitment records did not hold all the relevant checks and documents. Managers made sure staff received training and regular appraisals to maintain high-quality care. Staff managed medicines well and involved people in planning any changes. 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 practices. 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. People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. They treated them as individuals and supported their preferences. People had choice in their care and treatment. The practice supported staff well being. People were involved in decisions about their care. The practice provided information people could understand. The complaints process however did not correlate with the provider’s complaints policy. The practice was easy to access and worked to eliminate discrimination. People received fair and equal care and treatment. The practice worked to reduce health and care inequalities through training and feedback. The GP national survey gave positive overall experience when contacting the practice. 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 to deliver the best possible care and were receptive to new ideas. There was a culture of continuous improvement with staff given time and resources to try new ideas. There was a lack of established and effective systems in place to ensure safe recruitment systems and fit and proper persons were employed. The learning culture within the practice was not effective and learning from events were not shared internally with the team. Systems for managing complaints were not effective and the complaints investigation process was not followed as stated in the provider’s policy. During our inspection, we identified a breach of regulation in relation to notifiable events; shared learning; recruitment and not following policies. We have asked the provider for an action plan in response to the concerns found at this inspection.
People's experience of this service
People were overall positive about the quality of their care and treatment. Recent survey results, including from the National GP Patient Survey and the NHS Friends and Family Test, showed people were satisfied with practices. For example, 89% had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw or spoke to during their last general practice appointment. There was an active patient participation group (PPG) who represented the views of people using the practice. Representatives from the PPG described the relationship with the practice as a positive one and they had helped with website improvements and patient engagement. Staff are referred to as being helpful and friendly. A Rehabilitation unit referred to Peartree Practice as being very responsive with medication and diabetes reviews.