Highley Medical Centre placed in special measures

Highley Medical Centre was given an overall inadequate rating by the Care Quality Commission

A medical practice has been placed in special measures following an inspection.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has given Highley Medical Centre in Shropshire an overall rating of inadequate.

It said it carried out the inspection following concerns received about the quality of care and treatment.

In a letter to patients the practice said the inspection enables it to access support to improve services.

Following its report, published Friday, the CQC issued the centre with two warning notices relating to concerns around safe care and treatment and the lack of good governance

Janet Ortega, CQC's head of integrated care and GP inspection, said inspectors found the centre "wasn't providing the level of care that people using its services should be able to expect".

She said the practice failed to provide safe care and treatment to patients with long-term health conditions and also did not have all required medicines or equipment available should a patient arrive in an emergency.

Service in special measures will be inspected again within six months and if insufficient improvements are made, the CQC said it will take action in line with its enforcement procedures, which can include cancelling or varying the terms of a service's registration.

In the letter to patients the surgery said: "Although we feel that the rating does not reflect all the good work our members of staff offer our patients, or the huge impact the COVID-19 pandemic has played on our practice, we are working very hard to bring our services back in line with what is expected by the CQC."

Ludlow MP Philip Dunne, whose constituency covers Highley, said he has been assured that "immediate action" has been taken to improve the service.