During an assessment under our new approach
Date of Assessment: 19 to 26 June 2026
Eastgate Surgery is a GP practice and delivers services to a list of approximately 8,800 patients under a contract held with NHS England. The practice is situated within the Central East Integrated Care Board (ICB).
The National General Practice Profiles states that the ethnic make-up of the service area is approximately 83% White, 7% Asian, 4% Mixed, 5% Black and 1% Other. Information published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the 7th decile (7 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.
We carried out an announced comprehensive assessment of all quality statements, under the safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led key questions. We conducted a remote clinical inspection on 19 June 2026, and a site visit on 25 June 2026. This assessment was led by a CQC inspector who was supported by a CQC GP Specialist Adviser and 2 other CQC inspectors. We also requested some information from the practice which we reviewed remotely as part of this assessment.
Our assessment found the service as good overall.
The service had a strong and positive learning culture and people were supported to raise concerns. Managers investigated incidents thoroughly. 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 risks mitigated. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience, who received effective support, supervision and development. 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 services. Staff made sure people understood their care and treatment to enable them to give informed consent. Staff involved those important to people and took decisions in people’s best interests where they did not have capacity.
People were treated with kindness, empathy and compassion. Staff respected their privacy and dignity. They treated people as individuals and supported their preferences. People had a choice in their care and treatment. The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care.
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. 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.