Having been put into special measures, Bracknell’s MP is ‘confident’ one of the borough’s GP surgeries will improve following a meeting with officials. 

James Sunderland MP requested an urgent meeting with the management team at The Sandhurst Group Practice (SGP) after the surgery was given an overall rating of ‘inadequate’ in its recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection. 

Mr Sunderland suggests a “detailed action plan” has been put in place to address the issues outlined in the inspector's report. He is “confident that service will improve” after meeting representatives from the Frimley Health Integrated Care Board (ICB) and SGP staff. 

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“I would like to commend all stakeholders for their significant, rapid and encouraging progress to date,” he added. 

A spokesperson for NHS Frimley said it is “supporting” SGP and that “external experts” are working with the practice to implement the recovery plan. 

The report, which was published on September 14, stated that the practice “did not always provide care in a way that kept patients safe” and the leadership “could not demonstrate they had the capacity and skills to deliver high quality sustainable care”. 

It found “three breaches of regulations”, resulting in the service being put into special measures to “give people who use the service the reassurance that the care they get should improve” and will be inspected again within six months.    

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Mr Sunderland emphasised the “brilliant work” conducted by doctors, nurses, and support staff at the practice, also noting that waiting times for surgeries and call times will “continue to fall” as additional administration and reception staff are recruited. 

“I will of course continue to closely monitor progress and do my bit to help drive outcomes,” he said. 

Following the inspection report, a spokesperson for SGP said everyone at the practice is “committed” to making improvements for patients and will “continue to work” with primary care experts to improve performance. 

“We want to reassure patients that immediate steps have been taken to tackle the safety concerns addressed in the report, in the areas of safeguarding, medicines management and staff training,” they added.   

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Mr Sunderland also said it was “disappointing” to hear reports of an “increase in verbal abuse” by patients towards SGP staff members. 

“Our key workers do a tough job and care greatly about the care they provide so please treat them with the respect they deserve.  This will also help to ensure that both practices will quickly get back to their customary high level of service,” he said.