Is it an emergency?
Posted on
in West Suffolk News
A GP practice in west Suffolk has pledged to continue to improve the services it provides following concerns raised in an inspection report by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The report, which has been published after an inspection in July 2022, praises the practice for delivering services which are caring, however, it also highlights areas where improvements need to be made to ensure the practice delivers services which are safe, effective, responsive and well led to its 9136 patients.
The Long Melford Surgery is now receiving additional support to make the necessary improvements over the next six months, after receiving an overall CQC rating of inadequate.
Dr Christopher Browning, a GP partner at the practice, said: “Clearly we are very disappointed to have received this CQC rating.
“We had already recognised that changes needed to be made and we were in the process of making many of these. We are determined to continue to work tirelessly to bring about improvements, working with our patients and staff to make it happen.
“Our staff work very hard for our patients, and want to do to the very best for them, but like other GP practices across the country recruitment remains a major challenge, undoubtedly exacerbated by the rurality of our location, and this is putting pressure on our performance.
“While recruitment issues cannot be immediately resolved, by introducing new ways of working, we can better serve our patients more safely and effectively.
“We thank our patients for their support during this time. The practice remains open for business and any patient who has any concerns or questions is encouraged to contact the local NHS Patient Advice and Liaison Service on 0800 389 6819 or sneeicb-ws.pals@nhs.net .”
The full report can be read on the CQC website