A GP surgery in Warrington which boasts ‘kind and respectful’ staff has been rated outstanding by inspectors.

Representatives of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) visited The Eric Moore Partnership Medical Practice for a routine inspection in June.

Run by Dr Alagu Rajkumar and located on Tanners Lane near the town centre, patients at the practice were found to benefit from outstanding care from the service.

It was previously rated as good overall, but this rating has been upgraded thanks to the way it handled the Covid pandemic and delivered ‘high-quality, person-centred care’.

Kieron Jones, CQC head of inspection, said: “When we inspected the practice, we saw services were tailored to meet the needs of individual people and were delivered in a way to ensure flexibility, choice and continuity of care.

“The practice proactively assessed and reviewed the needs of its patient population and adjusted its workforce and appointment system accordingly to ensure people could be seen as soon as possible.

“For example, staff had identified areas where there were gaps in provision locally, particularly for those whose circumstances may make them vulnerable, and had taken steps to address them.

“Despite added pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic, the practice adjusted how it delivered services to ensure it met the needs of its patients.

The Eric Moore Partnership Medical Practice on Tanners Lane (Image: Google Maps)

The Eric Moore Partnership Medical Practice on Tanners Lane (Image: Google Maps)

“The practice participated in networking, research projects and used audit and quality improvement programmes to continually review and improve care.

“There was a focus on sharing the work of the practice locally and nationally, as well as a shared commitment at all levels to learn from others.

“The whole practice team deserve to be congratulated for all their hard work and commitment.”

An inspection report details how CQC inspectors found that staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care.

The practice adjusted how it delivered services to meet the needs of patients during the pandemic, who could access care and treatment in a timely way.

“Staff were consistently positive about teamwork at the practice, particularly being involved in decision making and being supported to carry out their roles,” the report adds.

“The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centre care. Staff at all levels were encouraged to speak up and raise concerns.”

In their recommendations, inspectors said that the surgery should continue to promote the uptake of cervical screening and childhood immunisations, as well as continue to review patients on repeat medicines as required.