A MEDICAL practice that treats almost 3,000 patients in Radcliffe has been praised for providing a "good" service, but inspectors recommended that it must improve safety.

The RLC Practice, based at the Primary Care Centre in Church Street West, was commended by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in a report published last week.

Inspectors carried out an announced inspection at the service in February and rated is as 'good' in terms of being caring, effective, responsive to people's needs, and well-led.

However, they also reported that the practice must improve its safety, after finding that medicines were not thoroughly checked and monitored to ensure they were being used properly.

The report said: "There was an open and transparent approach to safety and effective systems in place for reporting and recording significant events. Risks to patients were overall assessed and well managed.

"Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance. Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment, although some staff required further training in areas such as safeguarding.

"Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment."

It added that, while the practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients, some had found it "very difficult" to make an appointment with a GP.

The surgery shares the same medical, nursing, and administrative staff as the adjacent Redbank Group Practice, which is also housed in the £10 million town centre facility.

Practice bosses have been asked to send the CQC a report detailing what action they will take to ensure the proper and safe management of medicines.