The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has placed Park Grange Medical Centre in Bradford in special measures, following an inspection they carried out in September 2017.
The CQC inspectors found that the practice presented ‘extreme health and safety risk due to safety features being incomplete’. It registered ongoing building work that forced staff and patients to use a new extension.
It also emerged that although staff were aware of their roles and responsibilities, some of them had not received a written contract of employment.
The report said: ‘Staff were found not to have received an induction plan, mandatory training, documented supervision or an appraisal of their performance since the commencement of their employment.’
There are two GP partners working at the practice, with support from a locum GP and a locum nurse cover. Two healthcare assistants, the practice manager and the receptionists are employed as part-time workers.
The surgery provides services for 3,010 patients in a highly deprived area and following its overall rating as ‘inadequate’, it will be inspected again within six months. Park Grange Medical Centre is situated within the Bradford City Clinical Commissioning group (CCG).
CQC deputy chief inspector of general practice for the north Alison Holbourn said: ‘The service will be kept under review and if needed could be escalated to urgent enforcement action and if there is not enough improvement we will move to close the service.
‘It is disappointing that in both safety and leadership this practice was failing.’
Commenting on the CQC report, senior GP partner at Park Grange Medical Practice Dr Mohammad Azam said: ‘We are taking the Care Quality Commission’s findings seriously and have already made significant progress on improving the issues outlined. These include ensuring patient and staff safety during essential building works at the practice. There are now no immediate concerns with regard to safety at the surgery and patients should visit the practice as normal.
‘We are working closely with NHS Bradford City Clinical Commissioning Group to make further progress on improving the practice, and apologise for any worry or distress this news may cause to our patients.
‘We are committed to providing GP services which are of the highest possible standards for our patients.’
Practice manager of Park Grange Medical Centre Rahela Parveen said: ‘All of the practice team is working together cohesively to address the Care Quality Commission’s findings, towards which we have already made significant progress. As a team we are committed to providing the best possible care and standards for our patients.’
