THOSE involved in an ‘outstanding’ GP practice in Warrington say they are ‘delighted and proud’ of its latest inspection report.

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 to the highest possible thanks to the way it handled the Covid pandemic and delivered ‘high-quality, person-centred care’.

Following the rating, Carl Marsh, NHS Cheshire and Merseyside’s place director for Warrington, said: “I am delighted with the rating which recognises the fantastic work being done by staff to provide residents with the highest standards of care.

“I would like to thank practice staff for their continued hard work and commitment to providing residents with the best possible care and experience.

“Like other areas of the country, all Warrington GP practices continue to face significant challenges with increasing demand on their services.

“GPs are having more daily contacts with patients now than they did before the pandemic, which is testament to the hard work and innovative thinking across the system.

“I want to take this opportunity to thank staff at all Warrington GP practices for their hard work and commitment.”

It was also praised by Dr Rajkumar, who commented: “We are delighted to be recognised as an outstanding practice.

“Our clinical and administrative teams have worked diligently through the pandemic in supporting the needs of our patients.

“I am particularly pleased that the CQC report has highlighted and praised the dedicated support we have given to our most vulnerable, frail, serious mental health and hard to reach sections of our society, all through this pandemic and prior.

“Our incredibly supportive patients and patient participation group have also been a major influence in the development of our clinics and services”.

This was echoed by Julie McCann, the surgery’s senior practice manager, who added: “At a time when general practice in the NHS and teams are under immense pressure like never ever seen before, such accolades are a positive reinforcement that high-quality services continue to thrive and remains the bedrock that supports our wider health and social care services.”