During an assessment under our new approach
Gants Hill Medical Centre is a GP practice delivering service to approximately 16,000 patients under a contract held with NHS England. Gants Hill Medical Centre merged with Redbridge Surgery in October 2024, taking on an additional 3,000 patients. The National General Practice Profiles states that practice has a high proportion of working age patients and is ethnically diverse. Information published by Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the 8th decile (8 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. Safeguarding policies and procedures were in place, however the provider could not produce evidence to show they met regularly with other healthcare organisations to discuss safeguarding concerns. The facilities and equipment met the needs of people, were clean and well-maintained and any risks mitigated across both sites. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. However, there was a lack of formal supervision for clinical staff working at the practice. 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. 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 when taking 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 service supported staff wellbeing.
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. However, feedback received from patients in the National GP Patient Survey as well as patients we spoke with informed us of difficulties in accessing the practice.
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. 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.