Dr Salam J Farhan Also known as Partington Central Surgery

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 assessed all the quality statements for this key question. Our rating for this key question has improved from inadequate to good. The way in which the practice was led and managed now promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care. The overall governance arrangements were effective and arrangements for identifying, recording and managing risks and issues had improved to a good standard. The provider was aware of the concerns from the previous inspection and from partner organisations and had been involved in achieving those improvements. Staff felt able to speak up and said their points of view were listened to and acted on. We saw an improved proactive and positive culture based on openness and honesty. We saw that lessons had been learned and were embedded into everyday practice.

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.

Staff and leaders told us about a clear vision for the future of the practice. Leaders and staff could demonstrate positive changes the practice had made, including discussions around succession planning. There were now clearer responsibilities, for clinical and non-clinical staff and communication had improved. We were told about team working, open communication and meetings where positive and negative things were discussed and where all staff could provide input and effect change.

The provider had a statement of purpose with aims and objectives to provide a high standard of medical care, committed to patients’ needs and to improve as a patient-centred service through decision making and communication.

Through interviews and discussions, leaders demonstrated their experience, capacity, capability and integrity to ensure the practice vision could be delivered, and risks were professionally managed. Since the previous inspection, the provider had sought assistance from outside organisations and had increased clinical and non-clinical staff. New and existing staff told us that since then communication had improved and they felt confident that should they raise concerns these would be acted on. The improvements at this assessment were evident. It was also evident that all the staff were passionate about the practice, the services offered, and the care and treatment provided to patients.

Since our last inspection, the provider had sought assistance from partner organisations. There was evidence that policies and procedures had been updated and embedded since our last inspection.

Staff told us that leaders of the practice actively promoted staff empowerment to drive improvement. They encouraged staff to raise concerns and promoted the value of doing so. They said they felt more positive since the last inspection and more confident that their views would be taken seriously and acted upon if this meant improvement could be made. We saw an improved proactive and positive culture based on openness and honesty.

There was a whistle blowing policy which had been updated and improved since our last inspection to include a Freedom to Speak up Guardian who was someone outside of the practice. Staff knew who that person was and felt able to speak up if required.

We saw that there was fair and equitable treatment of staff and that human rights were protected. Managers told us they took steps to remove bias and ensure equality of opportunity and experience for the workforce within their place of work, and throughout their employment. Staff we spoke to demonstrated where this had been applied and work patterns had been adjusted to suit the needs of the member of staff.

There was a whistle blowing policy which had been updated and improved since our last inspection to include a Freedom to Speak up Guardian who was someone outside of the practice. Staff knew who that person was and felt able to speak up if required.

We saw during discussions that leaders supported staff, and all staff we spoke with were clear on their individual roles and responsibilities. Staff told us they received regular clinical supervision and annual appraisal. They said they attended meetings which were held regularly and they were able to access minutes recorded on the shared drive if they were unable to attend. They told us that governance overall felt improved and they were better aware of their duties on a daily basis. They said there was always someone to help if they were unsure of anything within their roles.

The provider had established governance processes that were appropriate for their service. Staff could access all required policies and procedures. Managers held regular practice meetings with staff, during which they discussed clinical concerns and emerging risks. Managers clearly recorded any actions arising from these meetings and ensured they shared these with staff. Staff took patient confidentiality and information security seriously.

The provider told us that there was an effective safeguarding team in Trafford and they had a good working relationship. Staff we spoke with said there was effective communication with local hospitals and good shared care with easy access to clinical documentation. They also had relationships with other services for patients provided by the Manchester Integrated Care Board and the Primary Care Network. Managers told us that a patient participation group was something they hoped to improve upon, but in the meantime, they had representation from a small group of people who they consulted regularly.

The provider told us that there was an effective safeguarding team in Trafford and they had a good working relationship. Staff we spoke with said there was good communication with local hospitals and good shared care with easy access to clinical documentation. They also had relationships with other services for patients provided by the Manchester Integrated Care Board and the Primary Care Network. Managers told us that a patient participation group was something they hoped to improve upon, but in the meantime, they had representation from a small group of people who they consulted regularly.

We spoke with partner organisations who confirmed that compliance concerns had been addressed. They told us the provider participated in regular update and support meetings to share improvement and learning.

The provider regularly attended local partnership meetings with the ICB, PCN, and other Trafford networks. They shared good practice and worked collaboratively towards needs of the local Partington community. The practice manager attended other local Partington community groups to promote the practice and the services available to patients.

The provider told us how they had made improvements since the previous inspection and how this had positively impacted the services they provided. They were proud of feedback from patients who they said were respectful and grateful and they were proud of the hardworking staff. They were proud of the access they were able to provide and this had been further improved by the employment of additional clinical and non-clinical staff. They were looking to improve further on this in the future by providing additional reception staff and more nursing appointments in 2025.

The provider formulated an action plan after the last inspection and we saw that all improvements had been completed. Learning from significant incidents was evident and there were improvements to the way in which communication was shared so that all staff were aware when things went wrong. We saw that staff felt happier to speak up and that their concerns if any, were received with improvement in mind. We saw an open and honest culture where learning, improvement and innovation was aspired to. Clinicians met and discussed cases where they learned from each other. Actions to improve were taken from local network meetings and the nurse and GPs spent time together on a daily basis discussing patient outcomes.