A FAREHAM doctor’s surgery has been told that it has to improve after an inspection found numerous failings within its facilities.

Patients at Brooks Lane Surgery, in Sarisbury Green near Fareham, told the Care Quality Commission (CQC) they found it difficult to get an appointment with only 69% being able to get an appointment and only 48% being able to easily speak to an advisor on the telephone.

In the report which was released this month, following the inspection in January Professor Paul Field, Chief Care Inspector at the Care Quality Commission said: “patients are finding it difficult to get a prompt appointment at the surgery” adding there should be a review of the current provision of appointments.

The report also highlighted that that was surgery was failing to take regular temperature readings of medicine fridges to ensure that stored medicines were in the correct temperature zone and take note of infection prevention audit recommendations.

Other problems that were highlighted included the lack of a business management contingency plan in an event of severe disruption to the health service while reviewing effective checks and training plans on staff.

However, the report praised the surgery in ‘establishing a friendly and caring rapport between patients’ and had good facilities and was well equipped to meet the needs of patient’s.

Councillor Sean Woodward, the leader of Fareham Borough Council and who also uses the surgery described the report findings as ‘disappointing’ but ‘promising’.

He said: “The message from the report that is coming through is that it is a very busy practice surgery is very over-stretched with a shortage of GP’s and operating hours.

“It would be better if they could offer evening appointments at the adjacent Fareham Community Hospital which would mean that more GP’s could see their GP’s quicker.”

In response, Carolyn Hill, Practice Manager at Brooks Lane Surgery said the surgery was committed to developing the highest standard of welfare possible despite the inspection.

She said: “We are very pleased that the inspectors found that patients reported being treated with compassion, dignity, and respect.

“It is also pleasing that they highlighted our good facilities, and how well equipped we were to treat our patients.

“We fully recognize that too many patients find it difficult to get through to the practice, and we fully accept that like so many other practices it is a real challenge to be able to meet the ever-rising demands we face.”

“Making it easier for patients to contact us is a major focus for the practice at the moment and we are also looking to work with other practices in the town to better manage the demand for same-day appointments. We trust that, in time, we can deliver some real improvements for our patients.”