Walford Mill Medical Centre

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

We looked for evidence the service met people’s needs, and staff treated people equally and without discrimination. At our last assessment, we rated this key question as good. At this assessment, the rating remains the same.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

We did not look at Person-centred Care during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Care provision, Integration and continuity during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Providing Information during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

We did not look at Listening to and involving people during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.

The service made sure people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

The service performed better than the national average in the results of the 2026 National GP Patient Survey. For example, 93% of respondents to the survey described their overall experience of contacting this service as being good, compared to a national average of 73%. This showed people could access the service when they needed it in a way that suited their needs, such as by telephone, in person or through the service’s website.

The service was accessible for all people and included space for wheelchairs and prams. The service had a ramp and 2 wheelchairs available for people to use to ensure equal access to the service. People had the option to check in with for appointments directly with staff upon arrival or use the electronic check in screen. A portable induction hearing loop was available, and interpretation services could be accessed for individuals who required them. People’s accessibility and communication needs were recorded in their clinical records.

The service offered extended access outside of core working hours, including appointments with a GP and a nurse practitioner on weekday evenings and Saturday mornings. The results of the 2026 National GP Patient Survey data showed 75%of people who responded were offered a choice of time or day when they last tried to make an appointment, compared to the national average of 57%.

The service regularly reviewed feedback from people who used the service, identifying themes and trends where possible during monthly meetings. For example, previous feedback from people identified there was a long wait when contacting the service via the telephone. In response to this, leaders undertook an audit of calls received and call waiting times. This data was used to identify periods of increased call volume, enabling leaders to adjust staffing to reduce call waiting times, as much as possible.

The service had utilised primary care network (PCN) resources to provide co-ordinated care, including access to a mental health practitioner, health and wellbeing coach, social prescribers, first contact physiotherapists, paramedics and a pharmacy team. Staff were trained in the care navigation process to ensure people were directed to the most appropriate part of the service.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who were most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes. They tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.

Staff treated people equally and without discrimination. Leaders proactively sought ways to address any barriers to improving people’s experience and worked with local services to address any local health inequalities. For example, the service recognised the needs of an ageing population and were engaging with the ‘Ageing Well Team’ provided by the primary care network (PCN). The 'Ageing Well Team’ worked with people to ensure they had appropriate support in place and that their care plans met their identified needs. The service was awarded ‘Dementia friendly’ status by Wessex Academic Health Science Network which demonstrated its commitment to providing an inclusive and supportive environment for people living with dementia.

In addition, the service had a dedicated veteran lead, demonstrating a commitment to recognising and supporting the needs of military veterans. This helped ensure former service personnel were appropriately identified and signposted to specialist NHS services, including mental health and wellbeing support where required.

Staff understood the importance of providing an inclusive approach to care and made adjustments to support equity in people’s experience and outcomes. Staff followed processes to ensure people could register at the service, including those in vulnerable circumstances such as homeless people and Travellers. Staff used systems to capture and review feedback from people who used the service, which included those who did not speak English or have access to the internet. This was reflected in the feedback shared from people who used the service, which was positive.

All staff completed Learning Disability and Autism training, helping them recognise and respond to the needs of people with a learning disability and autistic people, including throughappropriate reasonable adjustments. For example, longer appointments were available where required.

We did not look at Planning for the future during this assessment. The score for this quality statement is based on the previous rating for Responsive.