Sandy Lane 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.

At our last assessment, we rated this key question as requires improvement. At this assessment, the rating has changed to good.

This service scored 71 (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 patients including those related to protected characteristics under the Equality Act. Our review of clinical records showed patients were supported to understand their condition and were involved in planning for their care needs. Data in the most recent National GP Patient Survey showed 85% of respondents felt they were involved in decisions about their care and treatment.

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

We saw the practice worked in partnership with other services to meet the needs of its patient population. The practice had tailored its services to meet the diverse needs of its community and worked with their Primary Care Network (PCN) and community teams to support this. Care home representatives told us clinicians were familiar with their residents, and this continuity supported consistency of care and helped build trusting, effective relationships.

There were established mechanisms for engaging with the community healthcare provider.

The service supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. For example, large print letters and easy read material for patients with a learning disability.

The practice produced seasonal newsletters designed to keep patients in touch with the latest news and developments. This included a range of information including current health campaigns, staff appointments, opening times and welcoming feedback to make improvements.

The practice had access to interpreter services, including British Sign Language. Patients were informed as to how to access their care records.

The service had processes in place for people to provide feedback or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support.

Data from the most recent National GP Patient Survey indicated respondents did not feel listened to or fully involved in decisions in their care and treatment during their last consultation. However, the Patient Participation Group (PPG) representative told us they were actively listened to, suggestions were welcomed and actioned and changes were made as a result of feedback.

We saw 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.

Data from the National GP Survey published July 2025 showed the practice scored below national averages for people’s overall experience of contacting the practice and how easy it was to contact the practicer by phone. However, the service had taken action and made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

We saw access to services had improved and this was confirmed in discussions held with the Patient Participation Group representative. A new cloud-based telephone system had been commissioned, which included a call back feature and allowed better call analysis and demand management. The service had carried out their own patient survey in addition to a monthly audit on average wait times, which were positive. The audit showed the average wait time for calls to be answered in the previous 9 months was less than 4 minutes.

People could book appointments using a variety of methods. A review of the practice appointment system during our site visit showed on the day and routine appointments were readily available with a range of clinicians. Data provided by the practice showed the practice had provided 5,245 appointments to patients in a 4-week timeframe between November and December 2025, of these 3,633 were face to face appointments.

The service worked with their Primary Care Network (PCN) partners to deliver extended access appointments, including evening sessions and additional capacity during periods of increased winter demand.

As part of the PCN-wide Capacity and Access Improvement Plan, the practice had adopted a consistent approach to online consultation availability during core hours, care navigation processes and ensuring parity between telephone, face-to-face and digital access routes.

The service was also increasing patient awareness of local services and working alongside the social prescriber and PPG to ensure patients knew what support was available. In addition, staff were promoting the practice’s website, an online triage tool and educating patients about the range of clinicians available and the services offered.

A care home representative told us the service was both accessible and responsive, with appointments arranged in a timely manner and appropriate flexibility shown to meet their resident’s needs.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this. They understood the importance of providing an inclusive approach to care and made adjustments to support equity in people’s experience and outcomes.

The practice had carried out an audit in relation to the vulnerable patients registered at the practice. They recognised that these patients may face barriers to accessing GP services not necessarily in terms of physical access to the premises, but in terms of understanding, communication, or engagement with healthcare services.

To ensure equitable access and high-quality care, the practice had implemented a number of measures. These included offering appointment types suited to the patient’s specific needs, including longer appointments for patients with multiple or complex issues, signposting to relevant services and support organisations and referring to the social prescriber to ensure preferred contact methods were recorded and followed.

Adjustments in place included access to sign language interpreters, translation services, hearing loop provision and coding and recording of people’s communication requirements and preferred methods of contact to ensure no patient was disadvantaged due to language or communication barriers. The premises were suitable for patients with physical access needs.

Although the practice promoted the use of the NHS App and online consultation tools, staff recognised that not all patients could or wished to use digital systems. Alternative access routes were maintained, including telephone and in person contact.

The practice actively sought and acted on patient feedback regarding access through regular Patient Participation Group (PPG) meetings, comments, surveys and verbal and digital feedback channels to identify themes and inform improvements to access arrangements.

The provider had processes to ensure people could register at the practice, including those in vulnerable circumstances such as homeless people and Travellers.

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. However, our records review showed decisions in relation to these wishes including cardiopulmonary resuscitation were not always recorded. Following our site visit the service took immediate action to improve this.

A care home representative told us ReSPECT forms (personalised and documented plans in the event of emergency care) were managed sensitively and professionally, with clear documentation and involvement of relevant parties where appropriate.