Watchdog tells Shropshire GP surgery to 'improve'

Westbury Medical Centre was visited by inspectors from the Care Quality Commission in November.

After speaking to patients and staff they said the surgery, in the village of Westbury between Shrewsbury and Welshpool, "requires improvement".

Inspectors found the practice was good for providing caring and effective services and responding to patients' needs. But it was criticised in other areas, including leadership and ensuring the safety of patients.

Inspectors found more action was needed to ensure non-clinical staff involved in the direct care of patients are risk assessed. They also determined that practice nurses who carry out patient medication reviews must have the appropriate clinical skills.

In addition, the inspector recommended the surgery should maintain records of meetings to clearly demonstrate the discussions and actions taken to address safety incidents over the long term, review the mechanisms to seek feedback from staff and patients, including the introduction of a Patient Participation Group, and introduce a formal method that allows all staff to report and record incidents in a timely manner.

The inspectors spoke to four patients and looked at comment cards regarding the level of service patients feel they receive at the surgery, which has 3,250 patients on its books.

Professor Steve Field, who led the inspection, said: "Care and treatment was not provided in a safe way because the provider could not demonstrate that all staff who carried out patient medication reviews had the appropriate clinical skills and therapeutic knowledge to do so.

"We found the registered person had not taken reasonable steps to check receptionists who chaperoned had been subject to Disclosure and Barring Service checks or a risk assessment."

It was also criticised for its care of the long-term sick, the mentally ill, the elderly, the vulnerable, families and those of working age.

But the surgery performed well with 85 per cent of respondents finding it easy to get through on the phone, while 94 per cent of respondents said the last nurse they saw or spoke to was good at treating them with care and concern.

Dr Katy Lewis, from Westbury Medical Practice said: "Our patients are our first priority and it is vital they get the care they need and deserve. We are committed to doing everything in our power to ensure that this happens.

"The inspection took place last November and we addressed all the issues raised in the visit without a month of the visit and not waited the eight months for the report to come out."