A BRIDGWATER GP surgery has been rated "inadequate" following an inspection.

Doctors Lewis, Hawkes and Dicks, also known as Victoria Park Medical Centre, was visited in February by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), with a report published on April 21.

England’s chief inspector of general practice has now put the centre into special measures for six months.

The specific areas of the care of older people, people with long term conditions, families, children and young people , working age people, people whose circumstances may make them vulnerable and people experiencing poor mental health were all rated as inadequate.

The report states that the person accountable is Dr Catherine Lewis, the registered manager, and as a result, the practice must improve.

Ruth Rankine, deputy chief inspector of general practice for the South, said: “It is important that the people who are registered with Doctors Lewis, Hawkes and Dicks can rely on getting the high quality care which everyone is entitled to receive from their GP.

“Although the patients we met told us they were treated with compassion and dignity, we found that patient safety was compromised by the governance systems in place.”

“We have found significant areas of concern, which is why we are placing the practice into special measures, so opening the way to support from NHS England among others.

“We will continue to monitor this practice and we will inspect again in six months to check whether improvements have been made.

"I believe that the practice will do what is required for the sake of its patients.”

Doctors Lewis, Hawkes and Dicks provide primary medical services to around 4,600 patients at their practice in Victoria Park Drive, On behalf of the centre, Linda Prosser, director for commissioning operations in NHS England, is reassuring patients.

She said: “We’d like to reassure patients that although the report highlighted a number of areas of concern, we are working with the practice and with local partners, such as Somerset CCG and the Local Medical Committee, to help make improvements where needed.

“Work has already begun to progress significant changes which I hope will bring the practice out of special measures.”

The report highlights a number of areas where improvements must be made.

The centre must review the process and procedures for patient complaints and significant events and introduce robust processes monitoring complaints and significant events.

Improvements to the access to the practice through the telephone system and the availability of appointments during core practice hours must be looked at.

The practice must also review the recruitment policy, procedures and arrangements to include all necessary employment checks for all staff are completed before employment commences and role and location specific induction packs are available for all staff including locums.