A TONGE Fold GP practice has been told to improve by health watchdogs.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) yesterday published 44 reports on the quality of care provided by GP surgeries inspected.

Seven, including Tonge Fold Health Centre in Hilton Street, were judged to require improvement, and three were rated inadequate

Professor Steve Field, chief inspector of General Practice, said: “Where we have required improvement, we will expect the practice to take the necessary steps to address the issue, and we will return at a later date to check that those improvements have been made.”

Inspectors found Tonge Fold Health Centre was good at being effective, caring and responsive but that improvements were needed in safety and leadership.

Services for patients who were elderly, vulnerable, suffering from long-term conditions or who had mental illnesses all need improvement, the inspection found, as does care for families, children, babies and working age people.

Under the CQC’s new regime, all of England’s GP practices are being inspected.