During an assessment under our new approach
Date of Assessment: 4 – 10 March 2025
Brinsley Avenue Practice is a GP practice and delivers services to 5,891 people under a contract held with NHS England. There is a branch practice in Barlaston. We visited both practices as part of this assessment. We carried out this assessment because the practice has not been inspected since November 2016.
The National General Practice Profiles states that the ethnic make-up of the practice area is 94% white, 0.1% mixed, 3.6% Asian, 0.73% black and other 0.5%. Information published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the 8th decile (8 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.
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 well-maintained and any risks mitigated. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. Managers made sure staff received training appropriate to their role and a schedule was in place to catch up on appraisals. We found a few concerns regarding infection control and prevention and medicines management however, following our assessment the provider sent evidence these had been addressed.
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 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 those important to people to make decisions in people’s best interests where they did not have capacity.
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.
People were involved in decisions about their care. The service had tailored the services they provided to meet the needs of older people registered within the practice. For example, Warm Spaces, a support group for older people or those who were socially isolated. 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.
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. They told us they had never observed any 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. The service not only proactively improved health outcomes for people registered with their practice but, shared their research findings and innovations locally and nationally.