Enter and view: The James Cochrane Practice - Maude Street Surgery

Healthwatch Westmorland and Furness carried out an announced Enter and View visit to The James Cochrane Practice's Maude Street Surgery on 23 March 2026. During the visit, representatives gathered feedback from patients and staff and assessed the environment, accessibility and quality of services provided. A total of 11 patients and 5 staff members contributed to the findings. 

The practice serves a largely rural population with some areas of deprivation and has a higher-than-average proportion of older patients with complex long-term health conditions. It also supports families, people facing transport barriers and those experiencing health inequalities linked to rural isolation. The practice operates from two sites in Kendal and provides additional specialist services, including ENT and dermatology clinics. Staff highlighted their stable multidisciplinary team, proactive management of long-term conditions and frailty, strong patient engagement, and commitment to delivering high-quality care. 

Healthwatch found the surgery to be clean, well maintained and accessible. The building has step-free access, disabled parking spaces, clear signage and good public transport links. Reception staff were observed to be professional, courteous and responsive, while patients had the option of booking in either through reception or an electronic check-in system. Private spaces were available for confidential conversations and patients requiring quieter environments. 

Patients were generally very positive about their experiences of accessing appointments. Many reported being able to secure same-day appointments when contacting the practice in the morning and praised the helpfulness of reception staff. However, some patients found it difficult to get through on the telephone during busy periods, expressed concerns about having to call at 8am for urgent appointments, or reported waiting several weeks for routine appointments. 

Feedback about staff was consistently positive. Reception teams were highly praised, and patients described staff as friendly, approachable and supportive. Digital communication tools, including the NHS App, text messaging services and appointment reminders, were well received by many patients. Patients also reported receiving timely test results and updates about their care. Overall, patients felt involved in decisions about their treatment and believed the care they received met their needs.

The practice was recognised for providing a range of accessibility measures, including British Sign Language support, translation services, a hearing loop and dedicated quiet spaces for people with autism, learning disabilities, social anxiety or other sensory needs. However, Healthwatch noted that the waiting room lacked dementia-friendly clocks, and the accessible toilet could be improved through the use of contrasting colours on fixtures to help patients with dementia or visual impairments. 

Patients were highly satisfied with the premises, describing the building as clean, accessible and welcoming. One issue raised by patients related to transport difficulties, particularly for older people who rely on taxis or limited public transport services to attend appointments. 

Awareness of the formal complaints process was mixed. While some patients were familiar with feedback requests sent by text message, many were unsure how to make a complaint and did not recognise the paper feedback forms and suggestion box available in reception. 

Overall, Healthwatch concluded that The James Cochrane Practice is a well-regarded and valued service with a strong reputation for compassionate staff, responsive reception services, good access to appointments and effective communication. The practice was commended for its inclusive approach and accessibility measures while being encouraged to improve dementia-friendly features and raise awareness of the complaints and feedback process. 

Key recommendations were to:

1. Install dementia-friendly clocks in both waiting areas.
2. Improve colour contrast in accessible toilet facilities by replacing the toilet seat and grab rails with contrasting colours.
3. Increase the visibility and accessibility of information about complaints and feedback procedures. 

The practice accepted the recommendations and committed to installing dementia-friendly clocks by June 2026, improving feedback information through noticeboards and TV displays, and incorporating toilet accessibility improvements into future maintenance plans.