Bexhill medical practice improves CQC rating

Sidley Medical Practice, which runs both the Albert Road Surgery and the Sidley Surgery in Turkey Road, was given an overall rating of ‘Good’ following a visit by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in January.

In a report published last week (Thursday, February 8), CQC inspectors said the medical practice had addressed concerns about its care raised at its last inspection in June 2016, moving its rating from ‘requires improvement’.

The improved rating was welcomed by Dr David Warden, chair of the NHS Hastings and Rother Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), who said: “We are delighted that Sidley Medical Practice has received a good overall rating from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) and would like to congratulate all the GPs and practice staff for their hard work in achieving the improvements highlighted in the CQC report.”

The practice was rated as ‘good’ in four out of five areas looked at by the health watchdog, although inspectors rated it as ‘requires improvement’ when looking at safety. Inspectors said this was due to issues related to the temperature of refrigerated medicine and recently-expired medicine being found within an ‘emergency kit’ at the practice.

However the inspectors said a number of previous concerns about safety at the practice had all been addressed prior to the inspection and praised much of its safety processes.

The inspectors said: “The practice had a good safety record. There were risk assessments in relation to safety issues. The practice had employed the services of a specialist company to assist with risk assessment.

“The member of staff leading on risk assessments received on-site training from the company, carrying out risk assessments in conjunction with the trainer and we saw evidence of action taken in response to the assessments.”

The practice was also praised for its positive response from patients, where its feedback was above both the national and local average in most areas. Inspectors also said the practice treated patients ‘with kindness, respect and compassion.’