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'Inadequate': Dudley GP surgery placed into special measures

A GP surgery has been placed into special measures following an inspection that found it was putting patients' safety at risk.

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Inspectors found no evidence that staff at Quincy Rise Surgery in Amblecote had undergone checks to see they were allowed to work with vulnerable people while the management of medicines and record keeping were also judged to be insufficient.

The practice in Sandringham Way, which serves around 3,200 patients, has been told it must improve by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following the inspection in which it was rated as inadequate.

Safety and leadership were found to be the areas of most concern.

Read the full Quincy Rise Surgery CQC report here

The inspection team said it found no records that reception staff, nurses and chaperones for patients had been subject to disclosure and barring (DBS) checks which delve into a person's background to see if they have a criminal record or have been banned from working with children or vulnerable people.

The report said: "We found many gaps in the record keeping for staff files.

"We viewed three staff files and additionally checked to see if disclosure and barring checks (DBS checks) or formal risk assessments were in place for members of the team who provided a chaperone service.

"We found that risk assessments were not in place for members of the reception team who occasionally acted as chaperones; in the absence of DBS checks.

"We also found that the practice did not have records of DBS checks on file for the practice nurses. Staff we spoke with explained that DBS checks had been completed externally for the

practice nurses, as they also worked at a local hospital. However, the practice did not keep records to provide evidence and assurance that DBS checks had been completed."

The health regulator also saw no evidence that appropriate employment checks had been carried out, such as proof of identity and references.

Holes were found in the surgery's record keeping, including for 'significant events' and in staff files.

Minutes from meetings were also poured over and 'did not reflect a culture of learning', the CQC's report said.

It also said the management of medicines were 'not robust to ensure patients were kept safe'.

Steve Wellings, from Dudley Clinical Commissioning Group, said: "While we are of course concerned with the CQC's report findings, we are working with Quincy Rise Surgery and the CQC inspectors to understand the findings in full.

"We welcome the report as an opportunity for the practice to learn, rectify issues and improve services for Dudley people. We will work with the practice to ensure immediate action is taken to address the concerns raised.

"Additional support will also be given to the practice over the next six months so that we can be sure that improvements are made and Dudley people are receiving care that is of the highest quality."

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