A NETHERTON doctor's surgery has been rated 'Inadequate' after inspectors found a series of failings.

Dudley Wood Surgery has been placed in special measures after it was given an overall 'Inadequate' rating in a report published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on January 19.

The surgery must take action before it is inspected again in six months. If it has not improved enforcement could begin to prevent it from operating.

Health bosses have vowed to work with the surgery to take immediate action to address concerns.

Inspectors, who visited the surgery on Quarry Road which is run by Dr Gurmukh Kalsi, said it did not safely manage medicines and patients were not always informed of potential risks with certain medicines.

Patients on high-risk medicines were not always monitored or reviewed regularly and blank prescriptions were not stored safely.

Patients with long-term conditions were not getting the appropriate reviews.

The report also states that staff were not always properly supervised.

It states: "There was no system in place to ensure staff were supervised until they could demonstrate acceptable levels of competence to carry out their role unsupervised and not all staff received regular appraisals."

Some staff did not have DBS checks in place and staff immunisation status was not recorded and no risk assessments had been completed to identify potential risks to patients or staff.

The report also states the surgery must take action to increase the uptake of childhood immunisations and cervical screening.

Dr Sean O’Kelly, Chief Inspector of Health Care, stated: "As a result of our inspection findings, I am placing this service in special measures.

"Services placed in special measures will be inspected again within six months.

"If insufficient improvements have been made such that there remains a rating of inadequate for any key question or overall, we will take action in line with our enforcement procedures to begin the process of preventing the provider from operating the service.

"This will lead to cancelling their registration or to varying the terms of their registration within six months if they do not improve."

Dr Mona Sidhu, Medical Director of Primary Care, Black Country ICB said: "We welcome the report as an opportunity for the practice to learn, rectify the issues identified and improve services for their patients.

"We will work with the practice to ensure immediate action is taken to address the concerns raised.

"Additional support will also be given to the practice over the next six months so that we can be sure that improvements are made for the benefit of their patients.”

The surgery was rated inadequate in the categories - in the is the service safe, is it effective, is it responsive and is it well-led?

Its good rating in the is the service caring? category was carried forward from the previous inspection in November 2020, when it was given a good overall rating.

Inspectors visited on November 9 last year.

The surgery did not wish to comment.