A TOWN centre medical practice has been slammed by health chiefs after a recent inspection found a number of serious failings.

Park Lane Practice has been placed into special measures following an inspection by the CQC (Care Quality Commission) which took place in early April.

Inspectors rated the service ‘inadequate’ under the categories of leadership and responsiveness to peoples’ needs. The practice was also told its overall safety, effectiveness and caring levels ‘require improvement’.

Ruth Rankine, deputy chief inspector of General Practice CQC’s South region, said: “Our inspectors had previously carried out an inspection at Park Lane Practice in January 2016 where the service was rated as ‘requires improvement’. This inspection was planned to focus on the work the practice had carried out since that first visit.

“It is worrying that despite the concerns identified at that first inspection, our team found a further decline in the standards.

“Patients were at risk of harm because systems currently in place were not embedded well enough to keep them safe. For example, same day appointments for children or those who require same day medical care were not always available and sufficient recruitment checks had not been carried out for all staff.”

The CQC found that needles, syringes and other medical supplies were stored in unlocked cupboards in the patients’ waiting area during the day.

Inspectors also criticised the fact that staff who triage patient’s phone calls had not received training and clear guidance for the role and that sufficient references were not obtained for all employed staff.

Park Lane is one of the GP practices within the Swindon Clinical Commissioning Group and has approximately 6,600 patients.

Ms Rankine added: “With this in mind we had no option but to place the practice into special measures. We will re-inspect the practice within six months to check whether sufficient improvements have been made. If we find that the service provided by this surgery remains inadequate, we will consider further action.”

In response, the practice stressed the fact that they are one of the lowest funded practices in the country.

A spokesman said: “We would like to reassure patients that the ‘inadequate’ rating awarded is largely as a result of the practice not meeting the required standard in some administrative and organisational aspects rather than being due to poor care.

“Everyone at the practice works very hard to provide the best care possible to our patients within the limitations of funding and the current GP recruitment crisis.”