- GP practice
Dr A Riaz and Mrs Shabana Riaz
Assessment report published 5 August 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 8 July 2026 to 23 July 2026. Dr A Riaz and Mrs Shabana Riaz (also known as Featherstone Family Health Centre) is a GP practice and delivers service to around 5,000 patients under a contract held with NHS England. According to the latest available data, the ethnic make-up of the service area is approximately 87.8% White, 5.1% Asian, 3.5% Mixed, 3% Black and 0.7% Other. Information published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows deprivation within the service population group is in the 5th decile (5 of 10). The lower the decile, the more deprived the service 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. Staff were able to share example of incidents and the learning to improve the quality of care. Managers investigated incidents and complaints but had not recorded verbal complaints to help monitor trends and themes. Staff understood and managed most risks. The facilities and equipment met the needs of people, were clean and well-maintained and most risks were 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. Systems for the safe management of prescription stationery, medicine reviews, staff recruitment and greater oversight of urgent referrals were reviewed and improved upon following our site visit. Staff managed most 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 services. Staff made sure people understood their care and treatment to enable them to give informed consent. Staff involved those important to people to take decisions in people’s best interests where they did not have capacity.
Staff were exceptional at treating people with kindness, empathy and compassion, and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated people 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. 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. There were established governance processes in place appropriate for the service, but some areas required strengthening to provide greater oversight. Immediate action was taken to address some of the shortfalls following this assessment. 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.
People's experience of this service
As part of our assessment, we reviewed patient feedback to understand their views and experiences of the service. This included feedback received through the CQC’s Give Feedback on Care process and the Friends and Family Test. People were overwhelmingly positive about the quality of their care and treatment they received, Staff were described as professional, friendly, efficient, polite, kind, caring and knowledgeable. These findings were mirrored in the results of both the 2025 and the 2026 National GP Patient Surveys. Patient satisfaction was higher or significantly higher than national averages. For example, 95% of respondents rated their overall experience of the GP practice positively, significantly exceeding the national average of 77%. This demonstrates patients continued satisfaction with the service.
Feedback the service had gained through the Friends and Family Test was also positive. Staff were described as professional, empathetic, friendly, polite, efficient and very helpful.
The practice had a Patient Participation Group (PPG) that represented the views of people using the service. The PPG representative reported feeling very valued by the practice and worked in collaboration with them and the local community.