Updated 23 September 2025
Date of assessment: 11 November 2025. We conducted an unannounced, focused assessment of the service in response to information of concern.
Seaforth Farm Surgery is a GP practice and delivers services to approximately 11,150 people under a contract held with NHS England. Services are provided from Seaforth Farm Surgery (main surgery) and Vicarage Field Surgery (branch surgery). We visited both sites during this assessment.
According to the latest available data, the ethnic make-up of the area is 96.3% White, 1.6% Asian, 1.4% Mixed, 0.4% Black and 0.3% other. The age distribution of the local population mirrors the local and national distribution. Information published by Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that deprivation in the local population group is in the 6th decile (6 of 10). The lower the decile, the more deprived the local population is relative to others. This assessment considered the demographics of the people using the service, the context the service was working in and how this impacted service delivery. Where relevant, further commentary is provided in the quality statements section of this report.
We found the service had made insufficient improvements in response to breaches of regulation previously identified. There was ineffective oversight of staff employed in advanced clinical roles. Leaders had failed to introduce a positive culture where staff felt they could speak up. Information about risks, performance and outcomes was not being effectively used to evaluate and improve performance. Some clinical records we reviewed appeared to be conflicting, inaccurate or missing. People using the service experienced unexplained delays in diagnosis of diabetes.
However, we found some improvements had been made, for example, the service had taken action to clear the backlog of test results and now had systems in place to prevent further backlogs building up. The emergency medicines and equipment at both the main and branch sites were now being regularly checked.
We found continued breaches of regulation in relation to safe care and treatment, staffing, and good governance. In instances where CQC has begun a process of regulatory action, we may publish this information on our website after any representations and/or appeals have been concluded, if the action has been taken forward.