Surgery 'putting patients at risk': Medicines stored in unsafe way and safety checks not carried out
A doctor's practice in Hednesford is putting its patients' safety at risk through a series of failings including not storing medicines properly.
Dr Manickam Murugan's surgery based in Hednesford Valley Health Centre on Station Road has been rated 'requires improvement' by Care Quality Commission inspectors.
They found, among other failings, that medicines had been 'stored in an unsafe way', equipment was not 'checked for electrical safety or calibrated for accuracy', and that 'appropriate recruitment checks' had not been undertaken on staff prior to employment.
The findings led the CQC to conclude: "Patients were at risk of harm because systems and processes were not in place to keep them safe."
When asked for a comment, Dr Murugan originally said he 'did not want to discuss this with the media', before adding: "If there was any action to be taken there would have been action taken, I am still allowed to practice."
For its different categories, the CQC rated the practice's safety as 'inadequate', its leadership as 'requires improvement' and its effectiveness, responsiveness and level of caring as 'good'.
Professor Steve Field, chief inspector of General Practice for the CQC, said in his summary: "Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near-misses.
"However, the practice did not have a formalised system for recording, investigating and sharing lessons learnt with staff.
"Patients were at risk of harm because systems and processes were not in place to keep them safe. For example appropriate recruitment checks on staff had not been undertaken prior to their employment.
"Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment. Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand. However, there were no records of the investigation and response to the complainant.
"Patients told us they could usually get an appointment when they needed one, with urgent appointments available the same day. Patients could also access urgent appointments via the Cannock Network Project. Appointments with a GP or nurse were available between 3.30pm and 8pm at the Network if appointments were not available at their own practice. The practice had an active patient participation group."
