A DOCTOR'S surgery in Bracknell has been found to require improvement, a new report from the independent health watchdog has revealed.

Great Hollands Medical Practice was inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which found failings in the safety and effectiveness of services as well as in its leadership.

Health professionals found that the GP - run by Dr Kanchan Arora - was not hygienic or clean enough to ensure patients were kept safe and though an infection control protocol was in place, it was not always followed and not all staff had done the necessary training.

They found disposable curtains had not been not changed since May 2012 and dust was found in clinical and non-clinical areas.

The practice had not carried out risk assessments or undertaken DBS checks on its chaperoning staff either.

Some employees had not been given training such as basic life support and how to safeguard the welfare of children and adults.

Inspectors also found care plans were not completed for any patient on the learning disabilities register and patients experiencing poor mental health.

The practice did also not have a good enough system to follow up patients on a two week referral procedure for hospital appointments.

However, results from a GP patient survey showed patients were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and information for them was accessible and easy to understand, though inspectors saw a lack of multi-lingual information in the waiting area.

Though a translation service was available, not all staff were aware of this.

Patients spoken to on the day of inspection were able to make an appointment with a named GP and urgent appointments were available the same day.

Improvement was also needed in monitoring staffing levels, mandatory staff training, cleaning standards and tracking of blank prescriptions.

The practice must now make sure all staff have undertaken training into safeguarding children and adults, basic life support, health and safety, equality and diversity, fire safety and infection control.

Sarah Bellars, director of nursing and quality for Bracknell and Ascot Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), acknowledged that while the practice had done well for being caring and responsive, improvements had to be made.

She said: “The practice, with the support of NHS England and Bracknell and Ascot CCG, are developing an action plan in order to take this forward as soon as possible.

“We are confident the improvements will be reflected in future CQC visits.”