Brinsley Avenue Practice

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.

At our last assessment, we rated this key question as outstanding. At this assessment, the rating has changed to Good.

This service scored 79 (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 they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.

Care plans reflected physical, mental, emotional, and social needs of people including those related to protected characteristics under the Equality Act. Our review of clinical records showed people were supported to understand their condition and were involved in planning for their care needs. They were also involved in decisions about their care.

The service had an exceptional understanding of the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

The service worked in partnership with other services to meet the needs of its patient population and tailored its services to meet the diverse needs of its community. For example, the service had identified they had a significantly higher older population. In response to this, and with the support of the Patient Participation Group, they held and facilitated a service called Warm Spaces to support older people who were lonely or socially isolated. Warm Spaces was held on a weekly basis at the practice and included such things as coffee and cakes, salsa dancing, crown green bowling, lunches out, film nights, chair exercises ran by Stoke City Football Club and external speakers. Approximately 30 people per week regularly attended the group and staff told us patient feedback was extremely positive. The practice manager attended the group on a weekly basis and used it to gather patient feedback.

If a person was 70 years old and above and had not attended for an appointment at the practice in the last 12 months, staff called people to check if they had any health or social care needs.

The practice provided care and treatment to 5 local care homes. Representatives of these homes were overwhelmingly positive about the support provided to people living in the homes. They told us the GPs provided weekly ward rounds and additional visits when required. To facilitate access to the GP practice, care home staff could email the practice or had a dedicated telephone number to call. The representatives told us all of the GPs were friendly, approachable, very reactive and extremely responsive. They told us the GPs always had time for the people living in the home and they never felt rushed.

Some receptionists were trained as NHS App champions to support people who were not IT literate. The practice was a registered veteran accredited practice and had arranged for some staff to participate in the Great Tommy Sleep Out campaign ran by Royal British Legion Industries and the Royal British Veterans Enterprise where people sleep outdoors for one or more nights to raise funds and awareness for veterans facing homelessness.

The service supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

Information to promote the uptake of screening and immunisations was available. For example, easy read literature and visual aids for people with a learning disability. The practice had access to interpreter services, including British Sign Language. Information provided by the service met the Accessible Information Standard. Patients were informed as to how to access their care records.

The service made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. They involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

A complaints leaflet was available to support people to complain however, it directed people to NHS England rather than the Integrated Care Board. Following our assessment, the provider sent us their updated leaflet to reflect this. Complaints were managed in line with the practice’s policy. Learning from complaints was evident and staff were able to identify changes made as a result of patient feedback, including complaints.

National GP Patient Survey data showed that people felt listened to and were treated with kindness. For example, 84% of respondents stated that during their last appointment, the healthcare professional was very good or fairly good at listening to them. This was comparable with the national average of 87%.

The service ensured people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

People could book appointments online, over the telephone or in person. GP and nurse appointments were also available during the evenings and at the weekend. On the day and pre-bookable appointments were available. We saw that on the day appointments were available to meet demand. On the day of our assessment we saw there was a waiting time of 11 days for the next available pre-bookable appointment with a GP and 7 days for an appointment with the practice nurse.

Data from the National GP Patient Survey showed that 72% of respondents were positive about their overall experience of contacting the GP practice. This was comparable with the national average of 70%. Also, 56% of respondents responded positively to how easy it was to contact their GP practice on the phone. This was comparable with the national average of 53%.

In response to the National GP Patient Survey the service carried out regular supply and demand assessments for appointments and looked at the mix of on the day and pre-bookable appointments.

Treatment rooms were available on the ground floor. There was ramp access at both practices. A call bell on the front door of the Trentham practice aided people who needed assistance from the receptionists to get through the door. There was electronic front door access at the Barlaston site.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who were most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.

Feedback provided by people using the service to the provider was positive. People commented on the friendliness of staff stating they were professional, helpful and empathetic. Staff treated people equally and without discrimination. Leaders proactively sought ways to address any barriers to improving people’s experience and worked with local organisations, including within the voluntary sector, to address any local health inequalities.

Staff understood the importance of providing an inclusive approach to care and made adjustments to support equity in people’s experience and outcomes. The provider had processes to ensure people could register at the practice, including those in vulnerable circumstances such as homeless people. Staff used appropriate systems to capture and review feedback from people using the service, including those who did not speak English or have access to the internet.

Representatives from 5 care homes where the practice provided care and treatment told us the practice was very, or extremely, responsive to the needs of people living in the homes. They told us they listened to the concerns of staff and involved people and their relatives in decisions about their care.

Support and guidance were available on the practice’s website to support the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, and more (LGBTQ+) population. For example, for trans people or those wishing to change their name, title and/or gender. Staff gave us examples of how they had supported people with transition and how they ensured that appropriate health screening was still offered.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life.

Our records review showed people were supported to consider their wishes for their end-of-life care, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This information was shared with other services when necessary. The service held regular meetings with the wider multi-disciplinary team and care homes to review the care provided to this group of people. Staff within the practice told us how the GPs went above and beyond their duties by visiting the families of people at the end of their life at home to provide additional support.