Leatside Health Centre

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

We looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.
At our last assessment, we rated this key question as Good. At this assessment, the rating remains the same.
 

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 service had a shared vision, strategy, and culture. This was based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights, diversity and inclusion, engagement, and understanding challenges and the needs of people and their communities. Staff described the culture of the service as positive and shared comments such as ‘people respect each other’ and ‘non-hierarchical’ in their feedback to us.
Staff told us they were aware of the practice’s vision and strategy, which was kept under review during team meetings. Staff also told us that they engaged in changes the service made, such as when the online appointment access was implemented.
 

The service had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care, treatment and support and embodied the culture and values of their workforce and organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience, and credibility to lead effectively. They did so with integrity, openness, and honesty.
Leaders were present within the service and amongst staff teams. Staff consistently told us that leaders in the practice were approachable and responded to any concerns raised. One member of staff told us ‘’I have always been able to approach a manager or partner about my concerns or to offload stress without judgement or fear’’. Another staff member told us ‘’management are caring’’.
The PPG reported that having consistent decision‑makers, alongside a rotation of engaged partners, had led to positive outcomes for both the practice and people using the service. We saw the leadership team worked with other practices and teams within their neighbourhood area and were engaged in the development of primary care services and integrated neighbourhood team.
 

The service fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.
The service had established Freedom to Speak up arrangements with other services in the PCN. Staff were aware of how to raise concerns and told us that they felt able to speak up if they had concerns
 

The service valued diversity in their workforce. They worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by improving equality and equity for people who work for them.
There were policies and procedures to promote diversity and equality. Adjustments had been made to ensure all staff were valued. For example, we saw adjustments such as flexible working hours to support staff when required. Staff told us that they felt supported in their role when they had faced difficulties while at work.
We saw that staff had been involved with meetings where appropriate for their role.
 

The service had clear responsibilities, roles, systems of accountability and good governance. They used these to manage and deliver good quality, sustainable care, treatment, and support. They acted on the best information about risk, performance, and outcomes, and shared this securely with others when appropriate.
Leaders had established robust systems of oversight, and we saw these in practice across several operational areas such as safeguarding management, complaints and learning events.
Leaders supported staff. Staff we spoke with were clear on their individual roles and responsibilities. Staff could access all required policies and procedures through a centralised system.
Leaders held regular team meetings with staff, during which they discussed clinical concerns and operational matters. Leaders clearly recorded any actions arising from these meetings and ensured they shared these with staff.
Staff took patient confidentiality and information security seriously.
 

The service clearly understood and carried out their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, and services worked seamlessly for people. They always shared information and learning with partners and collaborate for improvement.
Staff had made adjustments to improve coordination of their service with community healthcare services, including through recently established weekly meetings centred on the care of those at higher risk of hospital admission.
The service collaborated with other teams and services to provide better outcomes for people. The service had information sharing protocols. For example, the cardiac nurses were granted access to people’s records to be able to share information seamlessly.
Members of the PPG commented how the collaboration between the service and the PPG had resulted in an effective vaccination clinic where a high number of people had been reached. Further to the vaccinations, there was opportunity to identify people who would benefit from being signposted to other teams are services such as carers groups.
 

The service had a strong focus on continuous learning, innovation and improvement across the organisation and local system. They always encouraged creative ways of delivering equality of experience, outcome, and quality of life for people. They actively contribute to safe, effective practice and research.
The service was working towards delivering a proactive model of care. The service was using artificial intelligence to help understand different needs within the community and help analyse different patient groups so they can plan care better. The service could evidence that from the use of this system, that they were actively contributing to reducing health needs in their population, with demonstrable evidence that people’s risk indicator had lowered following intervention.
The service had received funding from the integrated care board (ICB) and was developing its integrated neighbourhood team with its PCN and wider community teams.
The service had developed innovative systems such as the development of a multidisciplinary team dashboard that meant the professionals involved in the persons care and treatment could input their information to develop a comprehensive care plan with seamless information sharing between health professionals.
Members of the PPG told us that they support the services innovation by meeting with other PPGs in the local area to exchange ideas with the goal of raising good practice within the locality.
The service took part in research trails such as a research study testing a new vaccine designed to protect people against RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus), a virus that infects the airways and lungs and often causes cold like symptoms.
The service was also setting up a new study to test whether a GLP 1 based medication (a medicine to help manage blood sugar and appetite) can help reduce alcohol cravings or alcohol use.