Second GP practice in '˜special measures'

The Grange Medical Centre in Mayor’s Walk was found by the Care Quality Commission to be risking patient safety.

Inspectors discovered in a random check that a prescription for a high-risk medicine had been issued “above the safe range” without the patient being reviewed.

The Grange is run by Dr Rupert Bankart who also operates Botolph Bridge Community Health Centre in Sugar Way which was also recently rated as inadequate.

Peterborough MP Stewart Jackson said he had raised concerns about The Grange with the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Clinical Commissioning Group, adding: “I would like to see an urgent action plan put in place to address the problems raised in order to reassure local people.”

The CQC report said patient safety was “not secure.”

It added that records to demonstrate each locum’s training and qualifications were not complete, while there was no evidence of a DBS (criminal record) check for one locum.

A device used for checking patients’ blood sugar levels had not been checked since November 2015 even though it should be checked monthly, while the role of medical assistants had also been withdrawn.

At Botolph Bridge, medical assistants were giving clinical advice to patients and adding new medications on their records without being qualified or trained to do so.

In a statement Dr Bankart highlighted the “challenging times” in the NHS. He added: “Myself and all the staff at The Grange are fully committed to giving our patients the very best possible care available.

“We pride ourselves as a small and caring practice and are very disappointed by the CQC report which we are doing everything possible to rectify.”

North West Cambridgeshire MP Shailesh Vara said he is waiting to hear back from NHS England over his calls for an investigation into Botolph Bridge.