Goodcare Practice

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

We assessed all 7 of the quality statements from this key question: 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; and, learning, improvement and innovation. The service had a clear vision and credible strategy to deliver high quality care and promote good outcomes for patients. There were clear responsibilities, roles and systems of accountability to support good governance and management. The service involved patients, the public, staff and external partners to support high-quality sustainable services.

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.

Leaders engaged with staff and had regular communication with them via informal talks, as well as regular scheduled meetings including partners, clinical, management and all staff practice meeting, where information was shared. We saw polices were reviewed and updated regularly and staff had easy access to them. Leaders informed us they regularly communicated with outside bodies like the wider PCN, ICB, and GP Federation) to ensure that the practice ran smoothly.

Leader and staff feedback was there was an open culture, and leaders were visible and approachable.

There was a clear vision and set of values, which we saw that the service acted on. The service had a realistic strategy and supporting business plans to achieve priorities.

There was a clear vision and set of values, which we saw that the service acted on. The service had a realistic strategy and supporting business plans to achieve priorities. The strategy was in line with health and social priorities across the region. The provider planned the service to meet the needs of the local population. The provider monitored progress against delivery of the strategy.

Leaders informed us they conducted annual anonymous staff surveys as part of an internal quality assurance process. The survey asked a variety of questions, relating to staff’s overall satisfaction at the practice, communication from leadership, practice performance, and resource allocation. There was a section for staff to write any suggestions or supplementary feedback. Staff feedback they felt supported by leaders and that leaders were approachable.

The service ensured staff were aware of their roles and responsibilities. The partners explained that they had a succession plan in place for the service.

Leaders and managers held regular service meetings with staff, during which they discussed clinical concerns and emerging risks. Any actions arising from these meetings were clearly recorded and shared with staff. Staff took patient confidentiality and information security seriously, there were policies and procedures to ensure this.

Staff were clear on their roles and accountabilities including in respect of safeguarding and infection prevention and control. Leaders detailed and demonstrated that they had established proper policies, procedures and activities to ensure safety and assured themselves that they were operating as intended.

Leaders informed us of difficulties with retention of management over the last 12 months but they were working on addressing this issue.

The service had various polices which they had reviewed and updated in the last 12 months, they were accessible to all staff.

Action plans and performance were reviewed at meetings.

The service had clear vision and oversight.

People using the service did not raise any concerns with us about the practice’s engagement with partnerships and the local community.

Leaders understood their duty to collaborate and work in partnership, so services worked seamlessly for people. They shared examples of information and learning with partners and collaborated for improvement. For example, they shared the example of working closely with the PPG group who distributed patient surveys to get a better understanding of patients’ point of view.

Leaders explained they worked closely with their PCN where they engaged with other staff such as a physiotherapist, and social prescribers.

The leaders explained how they engaged with patients. For example, they had launched a new exercise programme aimed at female patients aged 65 and above with a view of promoting physical activity, social interaction, and community engagement.

The service was involved in a large number of meetings with other healthcare providers in the local area to develop the way care was delivered. Leaders explained they had monthly multidisciplinary team meetings to discuss and improve outcomes for people with complex needs. The service was actively involved in their local primary care network, where they worked with other services to improve the local health inequalities.

The service worked closely with local services to identify and improve local health inequalities. They had sought patient feedback to any changes at the service through surveys and engagement sessions. Patient deaths were also reviewed at clinical meetings.

Leaders explained there was a process of continuous learning, improvement and innovation in the practice. They explained that audit was to form a key part of practice learning as it led to change. The regular meetings they had with staff, PPG, the inclusion of complaints and significant events were reviewed, and learning was shared within the practice and externally. The undertaking of staff surveys, patient surveys all encompassed a culture of learning.

Both partners were involved in developing an education pathway for overseas doctors and local students/healthcare professionals aspiring to careers in medicine.

Leaders explained the impact of them training new recruits starting out from being cleaners, receptionist, healthcare assistants, they went on to become a nurse, GP trainees, GPs and one went onto become a surgeon.

One of the partners was the lead for diabetes, they had done a lot of work with diabetic patients within the practice. As a result, patients’ diabetic management had improved and the practice was asked by the Ealing borough’s lead diabetes GP to share their knowledge and experience.

One partner was also responsible for supervising independent prescribers and trained clinical pharmacists and nurse practitioners to become independent prescribers.

The practice had organised a transport service they had a dedicated Transport officer who was responsible for coordinating with staff to arrange transport to/from the practice for patients who were vulnerable but not specially house bound and had difficulties getting to appointments, this service helped to reduce the number of house visits the practice made.

The service had monthly management team meetings to review the strategic direction, values, staffing and updates on organisational priorities.

The practice regularly reviewed policies and procedures.

Annual anonymous staff surveys were conducted.