The Summerhill Surgery

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 looked for evidence that the service involved people and treated them with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.

At our last assessment, we rated this key question as Good. At this assessment, the rating remains the same.

Staff we spoke with demonstrated the values of the practice and dealt with patients with kindness, respect, and compassion. Interactions we observed between staff and patients, showed that staff listened to patients and treated them with kindness.

The service upheld individuals’ privacy and dignity, ensuring that personal preferences and choices were consistently respected to support the best possible outcomes. People were recognised and treated as individuals, with their preferences actively supported and incorporated into their care. Choice was consistently offered in both care and treatment. In addition, the service demonstrated a clear commitment to 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 Summerhill Surgery treated people with kindness, empathy and compassion and respected their privacy and dignity. Staff treated colleagues from other organisations with kindness and respect.

Arrangements were in place to promote patients’ privacy. National GP Patient Survey data reflected people felt listened to and were treated with kindness. Staff we spoke with understood Gillick competency and there was a process to ensure young adults had control over their own privacy. Staff that chaperoned were aware of their responsibilities in maintaining a person’s dignity and safety during an intimate examination.

The National GP Survey 2024 results found 93% of respondents said the healthcare professional they saw or spoke to was good at treating them with care and concern during their last general practice appointment. This was above the local and national averages of 82% and 85%. The service used the findings from surveys, complaints, and compliments to inform their actions to improve the service.

The majority of individuals who completed the CQC 'Give Feedback on Care' forms consistently commended staff for their helpfulness, friendliness, approachability, and kindness.

The service treated people as individuals and made sure people’s care, support and treatment met people’s needs and preferences. They took account of people’s strengths, abilities, aspirations, culture and unique backgrounds and protected characteristics.

Patients’ personal, cultural, social, religious and equality characteristics needs were understood and met. Patient communication needs were met to enable them to be fully involved in their care. For example, resources were available to support patients who didn’t have English as a first language. The results of the most recent national GP patient survey showed the percentage of respondents who stated that during their last GP appointment they were involved as much as they wanted to be in decisions about their care and treatment was higher at 96%, compared to the local average of 89% and the national average of 91%.

Staff demonstrated a clear understanding of the needs of the practice population and provided examples of how they supported patients. For instance, individuals with complex needs or receiving palliative care were assigned a dedicated clinician to oversee and coordinate their care, ensuring their needs were effectively met.

The service promoted people’s independence, so people knew their rights and had choice and control over their own care, treatment and wellbeing.

Staff helped patients and their carers to access advocacy and community-based services. Data from the National GP Patient Survey showed that 75% of patients were offered a choice of time or day when they last tried to make a general practice appointment. This was above the national (53%) and local (48%) averages.

The provider demonstrated a clear commitment to understanding and responding to individuals’ needs, views, and preferences. Staff acted promptly to address immediate concerns and minimise discomfort, distress, or anxiety. To support continuity of care, patients were able to request appointments with the same clinician, and extended consultations were offered when deemed necessary by either the patient or GP.

A structured triage system was in place to ensure timely access for individuals with urgent needs. Staff interviewed were knowledgeable about referral pathways to emergency services.

Feedback from care homes regarding end-of-life care for residential patients was consistently positive. The provider responded in a timely and compassionate manner, ensuring patients received care that upheld their comfort, dignity, and respect. Most care homes reported a good to very good working relationship with Summerhill Surgery, describing staff as professional, responsive, helpful, and respectful.

The service demonstrated a clear commitment to staff wellbeing and actively supported them in delivering person-centred care. Staff reported feeling valued by leadership, who had implemented measures to address wellbeing needs such as providing appropriate resources and facilities to ensure a safe working environment, including regular breaks, risk assessments and equipment. Staff also noted they received support when experiencing difficulties at work. The provider encouraged staff-led wellbeing initiatives, including job swaps, a jigsaw corner, dietary advice, exercise classes, and 'Foody Friday'. Part-time working arrangements were available, offering flexibility to staff and supporting a balanced approach to workforce planning.