- GP practice
The Summerhill Surgery
Assessment report published 10 July 2025
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 29 May to 3 June 2025. The Summerhill Surgery is a GP practice and delivers service to 7314 patients under a contract held with NHS England. Information published by Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows 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.
SAFE: The service had a good learning culture and people could 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 maintained. 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. Staff managed medicines well and involved people in planning any changes.
EFFECTIVE: 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 key individuals in making decisions in the best interests of people who lacked capacity.
CARING: People were treated with kindness and compassion. 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.
RESPONSIVE: 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.
WELL-LED: 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.
People's experience of this service
People expressed positive views about the care and treatment they received from The Summerhill Surgery. The results of the 2024 National GP Patient Survey, overall satisfaction and experience scores were above both local and national averages. Similarly, the NHS Friends and Family Test from January 2025 indicated that the majority of patients rated the service as very good or good.
Feedback from local care homes whose residents received GP services from the practice was also very positive. The homes highlighted the provider’s responsiveness and level of care, which included regular ward rounds, medication reviews, and access to a dedicated communication channel for urgent requests. It was clear from our discussions that staff at the practice were committed to working collaboratively with care home staff and residents.
The provider actively sought feedback from service users to support continuous improvement. Complaints were thoroughly investigated and used as learning opportunities to enhance service quality.
The provider also shared information about the CQC 'Give feedback on care' initiative, resulting in responses from 26 patients. Most of the feedback was positive, with patients describing staff as kind, responsive, and knowledgeable. Individuals in different roles were praised for their professionalism, kindness, and diligence. However, some concerns were raised regarding delays in prescriptions and occasional issues with communication.
A Patient Participation Group (PPG) had recently been reinstated to represent the views of people using the service. As the group was still in its early stages, opportunities for making improvements were limited, however, there were clear plans in place to develop and strengthen its role moving forward.