A HALESOWEN doctors' surgery has been given a 'Requires Improvement' rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Meadowbrook Surgery, on Meadowbrook Road, was given an overall 'Requires Improvement' rating in a report published on October 24 after inspectors visited on September 14.

The surgery was rated 'requires improvement' in the Are services safe, Are services effective and Are services well-led? categories.

It was rated good in Are services caring and Are services responsive to people's needs? sections.

Inspectors "identified concerns in relation to medicines management, the diagnosis of conditions, and monitoring and follow-up of patients with long-term conditions."

They also said medicine safety alerts were not always promptly actioned.

Inspectors identified "potential missed diagnoses and coding issues for patients with chronic kidney disease" and "found that others who had a misdiagnosis for chronic kidney disease had not been followed up appropriately."

Inspectors reviewed a random sample of five patients and found the practice had not followed up patients with asthma who had been prescribed steroids.

It also states that "some of the required blood test monitoring for patients with long-term conditions had not always been completed within a timely manner."

There were positives raised as inspectors interviewed four patients who "told us they were able to make an appointment with a GP of choice, the clinician listens and understood their wishes and they felt involved in decisions about their care and treatment."

The "premises were well maintained, appeared clean and tidy and had appropriate infection prevention and control arrangements in place" and "staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care."

It also states that "patients could access care and treatment in a timely way."

The practice is run by three GP partners and the clinical team includes two part time nurses.

The surgery did not wish to comment.