CHIDDINGFOLD Surgery has been deemed ‘good’ – with a rating of ‘outstanding’ for services for older people – following a CQC inspection in December.

Inspectors reported:

* The practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm;

* Patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs;

* Staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about their care; and

* Feedback from patients was positive.

The inspection was made just before an overnight fire destroyed the surgery on January 7.

Since the incident, practice staff and NHS colleagues have worked to put interim arrangements in place at Milford Hospital to ensure patients can still access primary care and dispensing services.

Chiddingfold GP partner Dr Clare Willett said: “We are delighted with the CQC rating as it reflects our commitment as a practice to the care we provide to the local community.

“The past couple of months have been tricky but we are so grateful for the support patients and residents have given us. We are pleased we have been able to locate to Milford Hospital swiftly and we will now focus on putting arrangements in place to enable the surgery to return to the Chiddingfold site.”

A planning application has now been submitted to Waverley Borough Council to rebuild the practice on a ‘complete like-for-like basis’ to enable early reinstatement of the facilities.

The number of consulting, treatment rooms and employees will not change, nor will parking provision. The ambition is for a December 2019 re-opening.