Pathfields Medical Group

On this page

• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

We assessed all quality statements in the caring key question. Our rating for this key question remains good. We observed that the service involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect. 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.

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.

The service treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect. Arrangements within the service promoted patients’ privacy. National GP Patient Survey data reflected people felt listened to and were treated with kindness. Staff were aware of the needs of the patient population and were able to offer a holistic approach to support them. Staff displayed understanding and a non-judgemental attitude towards people. Staff told us they gave people appropriate and timely information to understand their care, treatment, or condition. Staff understood and respected the personal, cultural, social, and religious needs of people. Although space was limited at all sites, staff told us they would inform people a private area was available if they were distressed or wanted to speak to reception staff in confidence. CQC received feedback from people showing staff were respectful and caring. One person told us “the doctor was kind, compassionate, caring and very supportive and encouraging”.

The service treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met their needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics. National GP Patient Survey data reflected people felt listened to and had been treated with care and concern. Personal, cultural, social, religious and equality characteristics needs were understood and met. People’s communication needs were met to enable them to be fully involved in their care. Patient records were personal, and care and treatment was person-centred. People’s wishes were recorded on their care record. There was a process to share these records with other local health and care professionals.

The service promoted people’s independence, so they knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing. Staff helped people and their carers to access advocacy and community-based services. The service displayed posters and leaflets containing information to support people to make healthier choices. The service website could be translated into a variety of languages to support people who did not speak English as a first language.

The service listened to and understood people’s needs, views and wishes. Staff responded to people’s needs in the moment and acted to minimise any discomfort, concern or distress. Some people told us they experienced difficulties when trying to access appointments over the phone and online. However, the service had recently implemented a new cloud-based phone system to improve people’s experience in contacting the service by phone. There was a system for appointment triage that ensured people with immediate needs had access to services. Staff we spoke with knew the process for referral to emergency support, including symptoms that required urgent medical attention.

The service cared about and promoted the wellbeing of their staff and supported and enabled staff to always deliver person-centred care. Leaders had taken steps to recognise and meet the wellbeing needs of staff, which included the necessary resources and facilities for safe working, such as regular breaks and rest areas. Staff told us they felt valued by leaders. Staff reported being supported if they were struggling at work. Regular team meetings gave staff a space to raise any concerns. Staff had regular supervision with their team leaders as well as annual appraisals to support their wellbeing, build relationships and provide a space for conversations.