A Horndon-on-the-Hill GP Practice which cares for over 2,600 patients at its medical centre has been rated as ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission in its first ever inspection.

Doctors at The Surgery Horndon on the Hill at High Road tend to patients from all over Thurrock, the Lower Dunton Road, Bulphan, Dry Street, Parts of Laindon and Basildon.

CQC inspectors rated all the services as ‘good’ for providing safe, effective, caring and responsive care to patients.

They also rated services for individual patient groups such as those with long term conditions, the elderly and those with mental health issues as good.

Inspectors distributed 225 survey forms and received 112 back along with 38 comments from patients.

In addition they spoke to five patients on the day of the inspection – Thursday April 28 this year.

They said: "Patients said they felt the practice offered a good or excellent service and staff were helpful and treated them with dignity and respect.

“They also told us they were satisfied with the care provided by the practice and said their dignity and privacy was respected.

The inspectors also pointed out that all 38 comment cards from patients were positive about the practice and highlighted the supportiveness and caring of staff when they needed help.

Patients felt they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect, and had higher satisfaction with how they could access care and treatment compared to local and national averages, 86% compared to 75%

Ninety-four per cent of patients also said the GP was good at listening to them, compared to only 84% nationally.

Practice Manager Annette Martinez said: “We are all over the moon. This was our first ever CQC inspection even though we have been here for many, many years.

“The inspection went very well. We all worked very, very hard for it, we work very well as a team, and I think that’s why we get the results we do.”

The surgery’s two GPS, Dr Pattara and Dr Raja also said they were “extremely thrilled” with the results of the inspection.

Dr Pattara said: “We and all the staff are extremely thrilled by the result. The surgery’s mission statement is; ‘We strive to be compassionate and caring with the purpose of improving the health, well-being and lives of those we care for’.

“We feel this really came across during the inspection and this is why we were awarded a good result in all 5 categories.

Dr Pattara also added praise for Practice Manager Mrs Martinez who was complimented by the inspectors for all the hard work achieved by the staff, despite being in post for only just over a year.