IMPROVEMENTS are being made at a struggling GP surgery, health inspectors have said.

Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission, a health watchdog, visited Eldene Surgery at the beginning of August.

Their visit came after the surgery was handed a “requires improvement” rating by the watchdog in April. The surgery failed to meet important regulations on staffing and good management of the surgery.

Bosses at Eldene surgery were told to show inspectors how they would meet the regulations.

When CQC inspectors returned to the Colingsmead-based surgery in August, it was to check how rules around staffing were being met.

Professor Steve Field, CQC chief inspector of general practice, said: “We found action had been taken in respect of the warning notice, however there were areas within the safe domain which require improvement.”

According to the CQC report, inspectors found that a system was in place for staff to complete essential training online.

Training was regularly discussed in staff meetings, inspectors said, ensuring that lessons were learned.

They found that all relevant members of staff were registered with the required professional bodies.

However, inspectors discovered that two members of staff had not completed safeguarding training to an appropriate level – including one GP. There was also no evidence that a nurse reviewing diabetes care with those suffering from the disease had received training in it.

The CQC told bosses at the surgery that they must “ensure staff receive training and support appropriate to their role”.

Eldene surgery has around 7,700 patients on its books. Four GPs work at the surgery, supported by two practice nurses and administrative staff.

Last month, it emerged that a member of the surgery’s team, an associate practioner, was suspended after concerns that they had worked outside their level of trained competence.

Swindon Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which pays for the healthcare of all those living in Swindon and Shrivenham, was forced to write to all registered patients about the care that may have been provided.

As a precautionary measure, they asked patients who had received wound care treatment in the past year, been seen for a diabetes review, sexual health review, contraception review or mental health during the past two years, been seen for a course of hormone treatment within the last six months or taken a baby or child for any immunisation since June 2011, to call a confidential helpline, if they thought they had been treated or seen by the associate practitioner.

The suspension was not mentioned in the most recent CQC report.

Responding to the report, a Swindon CCG spokeswoman said on behalf of Eldene Surgery: “We are pleased that the hard work and improvements Eldene Surgery has put in place are being recognised by the CQC.

“We will continue to work with the practice to support service improvements and maintain high standards of care across all areas.”