GP near Bedford put in special measures over failures

Cater Street Surgery in Kempston has come under fire from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) after it rated inadequate in almost every category.

In the CQC's assessment, there were gaps in staff's training records including safeguarding - with staff saying they felt unsupported and undervalued. And evidence that patients were not receiving evidence-based treatments.

Examiners visited the surgery in November and found the practice had a "significant change to the quality of care provided" since its last inspection in April 2017 - when it was rated good.

Worryingly, in the CQC's findings included:

*There was evidence that patients were not receiving evidence-based treatments

*Cervical screening targets had not been met and the practice did not have a plan to address this

*The practice didn't hold meetings with Macmillan nurses or health visitors which meant they could not discuss complex patients

*The system to manage medicines that required additional monitoring was ineffective and inspectors saw evidence of patients not receiving the appropriate blood tests prior to prescribing

*There were gaps in staff training, especially in safeguarding and infection control

*Staff felt there was difficulty managing the workload when reception were absent - and they were expected to work longer hours

*Evidence that nursing staff had been asked to work outside of their level of competence

*Patients found it difficult to make an appointment or access the practice via telephone

*There was poor communication with staff and they felt unsupported

*Risk assessments for legionella had not been completed

*There was a backlog of new patient record that had not been summarised

If the practice doesn't improve in six months, the CQC will take action to prevent it from operating by cancelling its registration.

The practice rated inadequate in the categories 'safe', effective', 'responsive' and 'well-led'; and rated requires improvement for the category 'caring'.

When Bedford Today contacted the surgery, the practice manager was not in.

To read the report, visit here