Medical practice told it must improve as safety failings highlighted in report
A card which could have been used to access confidential patient records was left lying around in a clinic room at a doctor's surgery, inspectors found.
An assessment at Lockstown Practice in Willenhall, which treats around 7,500 people, found staff understood people's needs and wanted to deliver services well but serious safety failings were uncovered.
Staff were unable to confirm they had reviewed or carried out blood tests within recommended time frames to check whether medicines were working to prevent blood clots. Medicines which needed to be strictly monitored were not being managed within guidelines, it was found.
The practice has two bases – one at the Willenhall Medical Centre in Gomer Street and in Fisher Street - after it merged with Fisher Street Practice in 2015.
Click here to download the full report
In an inspection in September 2016 Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspectors found while staff were able to explain what they would need to do if a fire broke out, some at its Fisher Street base were unable to provide a record of completed fire checks. Not all staff had completed fire safety, safeguarding, information governance and health and safety training.
And at Fisher Street a chip and pin card, which is used to access information including patient records, was left in a clinic room. Staff at Gomer Street were found to follow processes to keep patient information secure.
All staff were found to be 'courteous and very helpful' to patients. Patients told inspectors they were satisfied with the care they were receiving.
There were emergency medicines at both sites. But at Fisher Street, where minor surgery was undertaken, staff did not have access to drug Atropine. That is used to treat some types of slow heart rate and to reduce saliva production during surgery. The practice had not considered the risk against not having it available, inspectors said.
Also the practice had also not operated an effective system to ensure recruitment checks were carried out before staff were employed.
Lockstown Practice was found to require improvement overall. Although the service was found to be caring and responsive to people's needs, its safety was found to be inadequate. It also must improve the effectiveness of its services and the way they are led.
The Express & Star contacted the surgery yesterday (Mon) but it was closed for the bank holiday.
l For the full cqc report see expressandstar.com
