Baslow Health Centre

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• Overview
• Kindness, compassion and dignity
• Treating people as individuals
• Independence, choice and control
• Responding to people’s immediate needs
• Workforce wellbeing and enablement

We assessed a total of 5 quality statements from this key question. Our rating for this key question is now outstanding. We found that staff were exceptionally kind and compassionate and treated people as individuals. Indicators from the 2024 National GP Patient Survey were significantly above national averages and the practice had been contacted by NHS England to inform them that their results were some of the highest in the country. Staff were extremely positive about the well-being support they received from leaders and told us this meant that they were supported to do their job well and to be well.

This service scored 100 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The national GP Survey results for 2024 showed that 96% of respondents said that the healthcare professional they saw or spoke with was good at treating them with care and concern during their last appointment. This was significantly above the national average of 85% and had been a consistent trend over time. Due to the high scores received from people in the survey, the practice had been contacted by NHS England to congratulate them stating, the results were amongst the highest in the country and were a testament to the effort and dedication of everyone in the practice. A representative of a care home where the practice provided care and treatment told us that people living in the home commented on how kind and caring the GP was that visited the home and they considered themselves to be very lucky to have Baslow Health Centre to care for them. Feedback from people received by the CQC was overwhelmingly positive. People told us that all staff were very welcoming, courteous, friendly and treated them with the up most respect. One person told us that the depth of knowledge, empathy and efficiency of a named member of staff was to be marvelled at.

Staff were aware of processes to maintain the dignity of people. For example, the use of privacy curtains and covers during intimate examinations. Staff that chaperoned had received appropriate training to do this and were aware of their responsibilities in maintaining a person’s dignity. Reception staff were aware of the need to offer a person a private room to discuss any concerns away from the main reception desk. Arrangements were in place to support bereaved people. The social prescriber provided bereavement support though a series of sessions called ‘Forget Me Not’. They sent cards to bereaved people offering support to the family and discussed any additional needs at the multi-disciplinary practice meetings. If a person with palliative care needs was admitted to hospital, staff always contacted the hospital before the person was discharged home to ensure they had all the required services and medicines in place in readiness to being discharged.

During our onsite assessment, we observed staff being very kind, supportive and caring in assisting people using the service. We observed 1 person struggling with a procedure. The member of staff was calm and patient whilst they helped the person to carry out the task they needed to do.

People’s individual needs and preferences were understood and these were reflected in their care, treatment and support. The national GP Survey results for 2024 showed that 99% of respondents stated that during their last appointment they were involved as much as they wanted to be in decisions about their care and treatment. This was significantly above the national average of 91% and had been a consistent trend over time. A representative of a care home where the practice provided care and treatment told us that the practice provided a weekly ward round. They told us that this provided brilliant continuity of care for people living in the home and the GP that provided the service took their time to talk and listen to people and never rushed them. The practice had gathered feedback from carers that attended the carer’s coffee morning ran by the practice. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Carers stated the meetings were very supportive, extremely beneficial and they felt better after attending the meetings because they had been able to share problems and worries with people that understood. They stated the staff that ran the meetings were brilliant, friendly and helpful. People’s feedback received by the CQC was overwhelmingly positive. People told us that staff intensely and actively listened to them and thoughtfully considered their response. They told us their response was unfailingly prompt and helpful and the treatment they received was excellent in every regard.

The practice had identified 137 people registered with the practice as carers. This was 3% of the practice population. To support this group of people the practice ran a monthly carer’s coffee morning to provide a safe space for carers to socialise and discuss any problems. It also provided educational sessions such as dementia awareness and basic life support training. The practice had gathered very positive feedback from the Friends and Family test about the impact this had on this group of people. Staff had access to services to enable people to understand their treatment, care and support options. For example, translation and advocacy services. To meet the needs of people with degenerative eye conditions or dyslexia, yellow and black signage was available within the practice.

There were systems in place to support people’s individual circumstances. For example, people recently bereaved, carers and extended appointment times for people with a learning disability or those whose first language was not English. Staff had completed training in equality and diversity and autism.

The national GP Survey results for 2024 showed that 99% of respondents were involved as much as they wanted to be in decisions about their care and treatment during their last general practice appointment. This was above the national average of 91%. People’s feedback received by the CQC was overwhelmingly positive. They told us they got appointments at a time that was convenient, that they were always listened to and involved in decisions about their care. They told us consultations were never rushed and GPs constantly asked if a person agreed with the proposed course of treatment and medicine changes.

Leaders told us that a workplace audit had been completed to ensure access for people with mobility problems was appropriate.

The practice provided a carer’s coffee morning to promote and support the independence, health and wellbeing of this group of people.

The national GP Survey results for 2024 showed that 97% of respondents felt that the healthcare professional was very good or fairly good at listening to them. This was significantly above the national average of 87%. A representative from the care home told us that when they requested a home visit or a prescription the practice always responded on the same day. They told us they could easily get through to the GP practice on the telephone at all times. Feedback from people received by the CQC was overwhelmingly positive. People told us that clinician’s responses were unfailingly prompt and helpful, they generally got an appointment on the day they called the practice. They told us that the dispensary within the practice was a bonus for people that did not have a dispensary nearby. People used words such as excellent, outstanding and fabulous to describe the service they received from the practice. One person told us that the whole practice team was nothing short of outstanding.

Staff could quickly recognise when people needed urgent help or support and used appropriate tools and technology to assist. Receptionists were aware of the actions to take if they encountered a deteriorating or acutely unwell person and had been provided with guidance to support them in this role. There were systems in place to support people with hearing and visual disabilities, a learning disability and people whose first language was not English. Twenty-minute appointments were provided for this group of people.

People were supported by staff who felt valued by their leaders and their colleagues. Staff had a sense of belonging and the ability to contribute to decision making. A member of staff had brought a gift for everyone in acknowledgment of how effectively they had worked together as a team in dealing with an emergency situation within the practice. Staff felt incredibly supported by managers and the GP partners. Staff felt listened to and extremely valued and felt this enabled them to provide care above and beyond to meet the needs of people. To support staff well-being, the partners provided a weekly fruit bowl to promote healthy eating, staff were supported to work flexibly where required and staff with additional needs gave examples of when they had been supported by the leaders. There was a monthly staff award system in place which recognised the efforts of staff that went the extra mile to support people or colleagues. This made staff feel exceedingly valued and boosted their morale. The practice manager told us there was a strong focus on the well-being of staff within the practice.

The practice had identified 2 wellbeing champions to support staff. There was a staff well-being board on display in the practice which contained information to support staff. For example, breast cancer awareness, the menopause and mental health. The practice carried out 6-monthly staff surveys to provide feedback regarding staff satisfaction and well-being within the practice. The latest results showed that staff were happy with the practice management and felt supported within their teams. The results identified that staff were less satisfied with pay, job related training and communication. In response to this, the practice had updated the pay scales, provided additional training to support staff to carry out the dual roles in reception and the dispensary and developed a weekly bulletin to inform all staff of changes within the practice. Staff were very positive about the changes that had been made.