GP surgery rated as 'inadequate'

SPECIAL measures . . . Leesbrook Surgery

AN "inadequate" GP surgery has been placed in special measures after an inspection raised concerns with equipment safety and staff training as up to 28 courses were taken in one day after the visit was announced.

Leesbrook Surgery, on Mellor Street in Lees, was rated as "inadequate", the lowest category, for safety, effectiveness and leadership after a inspection by the Care Quality Commission found several breaches of the Health and Social Care Act.

Inspectors reported that reception staff had not received a Disclosure and Barring Service check and emergency medicines could not be retrieved quickly by non clinical staff as they were contained in a cupboard secured by a padlock, with the combination only known to some staff members.

Checks on equipment were also found to be lacking as inspectors found syringes which were past their expiry dates and one which had been opened and resealed with a sticking plaster in one room while swabs with an expiry date of August 2011 were found in other rooms.

Inspectors also raised concerns with the effectiveness of staff training after records showed that the majority of staff training courses had been completed online during the three weeks prior to the CQC inspection and after the visit had been announced.

The inspection report said: "We saw that one staff member had completed 27 training courses, including infection control, consent, fire safety, dementia awareness and learning disability awareness, on February 24, 2016.

"Another staff member had completed 28 courses on February 25, 2016."

The report added that the surgery informed the CQC that the training was part of "refreshers" for staff, brought forward in light of the imminent inspection, and provided some evidence of previous training being carried out.

The surgery was rated as "good" for care and "requires improvement" for responsiveness and was praised in other areas.

A total of 34 out of 35 patient comment cards received by inspectors were positive about the service.

The report said: "Patients said they felt the practice offered an excellent service and staff were helpful, caring and treated them with dignity and respect.

"We spoke with four patients who were also members of the patient participation group.

"They also told us they were satisfied with the care provided by the practice and said their dignity and privacy was respected."

Leesbrook Surgery also scored above the national average in several areas of the national GP surgery, with patients saying GPs were good at listening to them and gave them enough time.

Following the inspection, which took place in March, the surgery informed the CQC that fire risk assessments and electrical equipment checks had been carried out after the inspectors raised concerns they were inadequate.

The surgery have also implemented a system to record and monitor the use of prescription pads in the surgery following the visit.

A spokesperson for Leesbrook surgery said: "The surgery is disappointed with the outcome of the CQC visit and is working to rectify the issues raised.

"All serious concerns raised in the CQC report in March have been actioned upon."

Inspectors told the surgery, which has over 9,300 registered patients, that it must take action to ensure adequate recruitment checks take place and all staff are trained in safeguarding and are aware of the Mental Capacity Act 2005.

Other areas noted for improvement included having an adequate complaints procedure and system to identify risks.

The service will be inspected again within six months and if insufficient improvements have been made, the CQC will take action in line with enforcement procedures.