I have received the following letter from the Chief Officer for Berkshire West’s Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) regarding Priory Avenue Surgery, which has been placed in special measures by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following an inspection at the end of January.
Patients will understandably be deeply worried by its findings, with the surgery having been rated ‘inadequate’ overall, as well as in specific areas including safety, leadership and effective provision. The quality of service at Priory Avenue is a matter on which I have been engaging for some time with the surgery’s Patient Participation Group (PPG), and our discussions prompted me to write earlier this year in very strong terms to the CQC, highlighting our shared concerns.
The CQC’s report is clear about the actions required from provider, OneMedicalGroup, to ensure the necessary improvements are made without delay, and the letter from the CCG provides assurances that progress has already been made in rectifying the significant issues highlighted - this is a position that has since been echoed by the surgery itself.
Patient safety is paramount, and I will be continuing to request regular updates in the weeks and months ahead from both OneMedicalGroup and the CCG, alongside my engagement with the PPG and CQC, to ensure sustained progress on the action plan being implemented.