A medical centre that ‘failed to meet the fundamental aspects of good care’ says it has put an urgent plan into action.

Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated the overall service provided by The Stanmore Medical Centre, in Crowshott Avenue, as 'inadequate' following an inspection in February.

The centre’s safety and leadership was rated as ‘inadequate’, while inspectors rated the effectiveness as ‘requires improvement'. Its rating for being responsive and caring was 'good'.

The report noted that medicines had not been obtained directly from a medicine supplier, instead obtaining them through using prescriptions written for patients.

Inspectors also noted that the nurses’ room on the ground floor was visibly dirty, and a bowl was found under the consultation couch containing dirt and hair.

Recruitment checks had not been systematically carried out, and inspectors found no evidence of criminal checks via the Disclosure and Barring Service, or references for one member of staff.

Ruth Rankine, deputy chief inspector of general practice, said: “The Stanmore Medical Centre operated in a way which failed to meet the fundamental aspects of good care and treatment that people have the right to expect from their GP - high quality, compassionate and safe.

“The staff working in the surgery treated people with kindness and compassion and it is important to acknowledge these fundamental aspects of good quality care.

“However, overall we rated the service as inadequate as we found that the provider was failing people in a number of key areas and exposed people to unacceptable risks.

“It is vital that The Stanmore Medical Centre takes action to address the concerns we identified at this inspection.”

The service will be kept under review and if needed could be escalated to urgent enforcement action, and where necessary another inspection will be conducted within a further six months.

A spokesman for Stanmore Medical Centre said: "We take patient care extremely seriously so we have put an urgent action plan in place and have already made a number of changes to address the issues highlighted by the CQC.

"While we work urgently to complete these improvements, it is important to reassure local people and repeat the CQC's view that this practice meets and understands local needs while offering a service patients say is caring, considerate and helpful."