ONE of the most senior GPs in Worcestershire has called into question the validity of a set of statistics ranking doctor’s surgeries in the county.

Yesterday your Worcester News reported surgeries in the city had been ranked highly in the Care Quality Commission’s (CQC) new Intelligent Monitoring database, which allows patients to review information on their or any other surgery.

But secretary of the Worcestershire Local Medical Committee – an organisation representing the interests of GPs in the county – Dr Simon Parkinson said he felt the CQC had “jumped the gun” by releasing the information based on second-hand information.

“There a bit of unhappiness among the professionals about this,” he said.

“Most practices haven’t been inspected by the CQC yet and those that have haven’t had the reports.

“It’s a bit like saying do you believe TripAdvisor.”

The database – which is accessible at www.cqc.org.uk – ranks each surgery in one of six bands, one being the highest priority for inspection and six being the lowest.

Severn Valley Medical Practice in Ingles Drive, St John’s was ranked in band one – the only one in the city to be placed in the highest band – with concerns including patients being able to overhear each other’s potentially sensitive information in the reception area as well as a reported lack of smokers being given help to kick the habit and the availability of appointments.

But Dr Parkinson said he frequently received feedback about surgeries across the county and had never received any negative comments about Severn Valley.

The Redditch GP said surgeries in north Worcestershire and the Wyre Forest area were due to be inspected in the next few weeks, while inspections were scheduled to be carried out in the south of the county early next year.

“It’s based on data from NHS England but it’s an indication not a reality,” he said.

“Some which get good reports may not be as good as they thought and some other may be a bit better than it seems.

“To criticise people based on information which is not brilliant is not really fair.”

He added he would place more stock in the information once the inspections had been carried out and reports were issued next year.

“My impression is the situation is very good in Worcestershire,” he said.

“There may be practices which need improving but that goes for everywhere.”

Speaking after the report was issued on Tuesday a spokesman from Severn Valley said they were “disappointed” by the report, but were addressing the concerns expressed within it.