Whitecliff Surgery

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 that the service met people’s needs, and that staff treated people equally and without discrimination.

We assessed all quality statements in the responsive key question. At our last inspection, we rated this key question as Good. Following this inspection, the rating has improved and is now rated as Outstanding.

This service scored 89 (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 made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and decided, in partnership with clinicians, how to respond to relevant changes in their needs. Care plans reflected physical, mental, emotional, and social needs of people, including those related to protected characteristics under the Equality Act.

Staff recorded reasonable adjustments and arranged interpreters where needed. The new service website was developed to be accessible and inclusive of differences in language and disability. Social prescribers worked closely with local community transport volunteers to help people attend appointments, both at the service and with partner providers.

The service understood the diverse health and care needs of its local community and used data to target resources where they were most needed. For example, information from the Dorset Intelligence and Insight Service (a local data platform that combined health, social care and community information) was combined with local staff knowledge to identify groups at risk of poorer health outcomes, including people with cardiovascular disease from ethnic minority backgrounds, people experiencing poverty, and military veterans. These people were then offered tailored outreach and support, which led to greater engagement with the service. For example, service records showed an increase in attendance at health checks and follow-up appointments among these groups, with 84.6% of eligible patients receiving a health check and 81.1% having a health action plan in place, both figures above the Dorset averages of 76.3% and 74.2%, demonstrating consistently high performance.

Care was well-integrated with external providers. The service worked closely with frailty nurse teams and other community services to deliver continuity of care. Examples of responsive services included cervical screening clinics that were offered as walk-ins to increase accessibility for working people, with additional weekend clinics to widen uptake. The service also launched a government-funded project to deliver cervical screening for housebound people and those with learning disabilities.

Feedback from the screening clinics was highly positive, with 51 people screened in one morning. Individual pieces of feedback noted that people valued the flexibility and convenience of this service. Data from Ardens Manager and the Dorset Intelligence and Insight Service showed a sustained increase in screening uptake following these initiatives, which have been recognised by the South West Nursing Awards and Dorset ICB.

People could access the service in a variety of ways, including visiting in person, using the digital triage system, or booking by telephone. A range of appointment types were offered, including same-day urgent appointments, telephone and face-to-face consultations, and longer appointments for those with complex needs. People also had access to preventive services such as the lifestyle clinic and monthly wellbeing walk-ins, the latter being available without an appointment.

Continuity of care was prioritised. If a GP initiated an episode of care during a duty session, they continued to manage the individual even if they were not on their usual list. Salaried GPs had protected administrative sessions to follow up patients, and recruitment was underway to ensure GP partners could also dedicate time for continuity tasks.

Carers were proactively identified and supported. They were registered with the service, provided with carers’ packs, contacted annually, and invited to monthly clinics and café sessions. The carers’ café, run in partnership with Carers Support Dorset, was reported to well-attended and combined health checks with opportunities for social connection. Carers told us the service made them feel valued, less isolated and better supported in their caring role.

The service supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. People were provided with information in multiple ways, including email, text, written letters, social media, and through community events.

A Data and Digital Care Coordinator employed by the service played a key role in sharing information, ranging from service updates to public health advice. People’s communication preferences and reasonable adjustments were recorded in their records.

In May 2025, the service launched a new website designed using the NHS England toolkit to ensure compliance and accessibility. It included a “Self Care Zone” to promote self-management of health and offered adjustable fonts, colour contrasts, and translation into multiple languages. Feedback noted this improved people’s ability to access and understand information.

The service recognised healthcare had become increasingly digitalised and provided support to people who found this difficult. People were offered one-to-one help with digital access at the service’s premises through wellbeing walk-ins, or in dedicated appointments with the Digital Volunteer. The volunteer provided tailored support to people, helping them use online systems such as the NHS App and order repeat prescriptions, reducing digital exclusion and empowering people to manage their care.

The service also developed a quarterly newsletter, which was reviewed by the patient participation group. This provided service updates, promoted health campaigns, and included an “App of the Month” feature highlighting NHS-approved health apps.

The service made it easy for people to share feedback about their care and support, and people were told what had changed as a result. A dedicated patient experience manager oversaw complaints, ensuring they were managed consistently and fairly. Information about how to make a complaint was available online and in the service.

Since the last inspection, the service had improved how it gathered feedback. Friends and Family Test responses were now actively collected and analysed, with 94.7%, of the 435 patients surveyed, saying they would recommend the service, higher than the national average.

The service had established a Youth Patient Participation Group, which enabled young people to share their views and influence service development. Feedback gathered through this group directly shaped service communications and the design of youth-facing materials. Staff reported increased uptake of wellbeing services among younger people, including those previously disengaged from primary care. Monitoring through Ardens Manager showed a notable increase in engagement from patients aged 16–25, particularly in wellbeing and mental health services, following the introduction of the Youth Patient Participation Group. The Youth Patient Participation Group met regularly with the Young Person’s Care Co-ordinator who was employed by the service.

Social prescribing was embedded across the service and formed a key part of its responsive model. A dedicated social prescriber contacted every new carer to understand their individual circumstances and offer tailored signposting to community, voluntary, and peer-led support. People recently discharged from hospital received follow-up calls to identify any emerging practical or emotional needs.

People told us this flexible approach meant support was provided “when we needed it, not just when we asked.” The service used feedback to shape group-based and community activities that enhanced wellbeing and connection. Examples included the Help Overcoming Problems Effectively (HOPE) course, a six-week programme run with the voluntary organisation Help and Care to build confidence, improve wellbeing and support self-management. Participants said it helped them feel more in control of their health, reduced isolation, and built resilience.

To reduce barriers to access, wellbeing support was offered in several formats. The lifestyle clinic could be accessed face-to-face or virtually, with additional group workshops introduced in response to community feedback. These sessions covered sleep, stress and resilience, helping people build practical skills to maintain wellbeing.

Complaints were recorded in a structured spreadsheet, which detailed the issue raised, the response given, actions taken, and lessons learned. Leaders reviewed complaints to identify themes and improvements. Staff told us complaints were seen as an opportunity to learn and improve.

The service made sure people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it. National GP Patient Survey data showed higher than average positive results for accessing the practice. Feedback from people collected by the service was also positive in relation to accessing services which suited their needs. For example, online, in person or by telephone.

We saw evidence of audits completed in relation to access performance, such as appointment capacity and demand data and appointment waiting times. The service also audited telephone access data, reviewing the total number of inbound calls, queue times and call abandonments. This provided effective oversight of rota management and staffing levels to match demand. As a result, the appointments team was expanded and relocated to a dedicated office outside the main reception area, which significantly reduced queue times and improved peoples satisfaction with the telephone service.

Adjustments were in place to ensure access for people, including those with disabilities, sensory impairments, or limited English. Staff received training in equality, diversity and inclusion and described how they tailored care to meet people’s individual circumstances.

The service actively worked to address inequalities. Examples included outreach to families at the local military base, support for people affected by poverty, and targeted cardiovascular health initiatives for minority ethnic communities. Staff were recruited and trained specifically to deliver health checks and action plans for people with learning disabilities, and performance in this area was amongst the highest in Dorset.

The service employed a Digital Volunteer who ran regular drop-in sessions to support people with using online services, such as appointment booking, repeat prescriptions and health apps. People who attended told us the volunteer helped them feel more confident using technology, particularly those who previously avoided online systems. Staff told us the role had reduced inequalities by helping people who struggled with digital access to engage with their care. The service had also seen a steady increase in the number of people using digital services, such as online prescription requests and test result access, which reduced administrative demand.

Furthermore, when the new digital triage tool was introduced, the service ran drop-in sessions so people could be shown how to use it. This had been well attended by people registered with the service.

The service demonstrated a strong commitment to understanding and meeting the needs of younger people. A dedicated Young Persons Care Coordinator provided personalised, non-clinical support to people aged 5 to 25, including care leavers, through one-to-one sessions, school visits, and remote communication options. This flexibility reduced barriers to access and encouraged earlier engagement with health and wellbeing services. Feedback from young people using the service was positive, noting that they felt more confident navigating support systems and better informed about local and national resources available to them.

People with learning disabilities were offered annual health checks and personalised health action plans. Uptake of these checks was consistently amongst the highest in Dorset, and people told us the approach helped them feel more confident and included in their care.

The service supported people to plan for important life changes, including at the end of life. People were involved in discussions about future care needs, preferences, and what mattered most to them. Cultural, spiritual and personal beliefs were respected in decision-making.

Where appropriate, people were supported to develop advance care plans, including do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation decisions, lasting powers of attorney, and preferred place of care. Care plans were reviewed regularly to ensure they reflected changes in health, circumstances, or wishes, and information was shared with partner agencies where relevant.

People told us they valued the open and respectful way in which staff supported discussions about future care.