NEW INSPECTIONS UNCOVER OUT-OF-HOURS GP FAILURES

Lack of confidence will drive even more patients to A&E

New reports reveal that patients are treated outside surgery hours by unchecked GPs and practices that fail to store drugs safely.

Four of the first 10 inspection reports into a range of out-of-hours GP services, published today by the Care Quality Commission, reveal worrying threats to patient safety.

The funds spent on such care have fallen from £500m to £435m in the last two years as money was diverted to problems with the NHS 111 service, analysis published by GP Magazine last week revealed.

The provider of GP services for patients in South Essex, from Basildon and Thurrock hospitals, was ordered to improve standards after inspections in January and February this year revealed “[it] had not carried out criminal records bureau (CRB) or disclosure and barring service (DBS) checks on doctors. Nor had it obtained references for any of the doctors not already known to the co-operative.”

Today’s report warns that “this meant there was a risk that unsuitable doctors might be employed by the service to deliver patient care.”

Meanwhile, a private provider of overnight GP services to patients from 10 surgeries in Bedfordshire was criticised for keeping temperature-sensitive drugs in a faulty fridge that varied between below freezing and 26C, checks revealed – despite clear markings not to freeze the medicine. The inspection forced the company to trace patients who had been given medicines from the fridge.

Whilst a company providing care to 1.1 million patients in East London was criticised for leaving medicines and prescription forms in unsecured places – open to theft – and for not monitoring the controlled drugs, which could lead to ‘misappropriation’.

Jamie Reed MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Minister, said:

“Patients will be concerned to hear about these failings. The reports risk driving even more patients to turn to A&E out of fear, when hospitals have already had their worst year in a decade.

“This is indisputable proof that NHS services are going downhill on David Cameron’s watch. He wasted billions on a reorganisation that nobody wanted and placed NHS finances on a knife-edge. Under this Government, care problems are becoming more likely, not less.

“Ministers must get a grip – patients deserve reliable alternatives to A&E.”