Giving '˜outstanding' care to more than 20,000 people

Staff celebrating being rated 'outstanding' by the CQC

Worthing Medical Group was rated ‘oustanding’ by the Care Quality Commision (CQC), which highlighted its drive to constantly improve its services for patients.

One of the largest practices in the country, Worthing Medical Group serves more than 20,000 patients at its Heene Road and Shelley Road surgeries.

Ruth Rankine, deputy chief inspector of general practice for the CQC, said: “It is clear Worthing Medical Group is providing a caring, responsive and well-led service.

“To be rated as outstanding is a real achievement.

“We found a well-run practice that was constantly learning, and striving to improve the services they provided to their patients.

“It was very impressive to see the innovation at the practice, which was leading to better results for patients.”

Outstanding is the highest rating the CQC can award, given only to services which are performing ‘exceptionally well’, according to its website.

Published last Wednesday, the CQC’s report praises a number of oustanding areas at the practice.

Worthing Medical Group was singled out for working closely with other organisations and with the local community to meet patients’ needs.

Inspectors also praised the practice’s ‘innovative and proactive methods’, as well as the dedicated service it offers to about 150 homeless patients.

Sue Parton, managing partner of Worthing Medical Group, said: “We were hoping for good so we were very very pleased to get outstanding.

“The staff have worked incredibly hard. For them it is an acknowledgement of how hard they work.

“Everybody performed brilliantly on the day. Just a really good team effort, we’re delighted.

“Patients gave us some really lovely comments,” she added.

Asked what was next for the practice, she said Worthing Medical Group plans to do a lot more with social prescribing – finding help from services in the community for patients.

She also said: “We’re always working to continue improving access to routine appointments.

“We have to just keep working at it.”