Middlesbrough surgery in special measures for over-prescribing medication

Prospect Surgery was found to be inadequate on all measures

A GP's surgery in Middlesbrough that over-prescribed medication has been put into special measures.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found that asthma patients at Prospect Surgery were being batch-prescribed inhalers without being properly reviewed.

Inspectors also found measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 at the practice were inadequate.

A spokesman for the surgery said concerns raised were being addressed.

A CQC report published on Friday, following the inspection in July, found services at Prospect Surgery to be inadequate on all measures, including safety, leadership and effectiveness.

Inspectors found one asthma patient was being prescribed 32 inhalers over 12 months when the maximum should have been 24, according to NHS guidelines, the CQC said.

Most people will use between two and 15 per year, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Those receiving common blood-thinning medicines were often similarly batch-prescribed medication.

The CQC also examined the records of five people who were prescribed asthma inhalers and only one of those had received an asthma review within the last 15 months. 

Infection control measures at the surgery were also found to be inadequate.

The report said there were "no mechanisms in place to ensure that infection prevention and control measures were adequately carried out".

In response, Prospect Surgery said it was "very disappointed" by the rating and the issues highlighted.

It said it was "committed to providing high standards of care" and was "eager to address all the concerns that have been raised".

The practice will be inspected again in six months, the CQC said.