A Hainault GP surgery which failed to do background checks on staff who work with children has been rated inadequate by the health watchdog.

In a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection The Willows Medical practice, in Manford Way, scored an inadequate rating in four categories and requires improvement in one – resulting in a overall rating of inadequate.

Concerns over infection control, medicine management and emergency procedures were also listed in the report.

Under CQC’s new programme of inspections, all of England’s GP practices are being given a rating according to whether they are safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led.

The inspector said there was a lack of managerial leadership, patients were at risk of harm and the surgery did not ensure that all staff had the required competence and responsibility.

“We reviewed five personnel files and found the practice had failed to complete the appropriate recruitment checks for two members of staff (one clinical, one non-clinical) prior to them starting work,” the inspector said.

“The first had one reference and a DBS check from their previous employer, which did not include enhanced checks for children.

“No risk assessment had been completed despite them undertaking baby immunisation clinics at the practice.

He explained the second staff member’s file did not have a full employment history and no references.

“In addition, the DBS check was from their previous employer.”

The inspector also said that there were ineffective systems in place to identify at risk children.

Although there was a safeguarding register, the policies were out of date and not specific to The Willows.

Professor Steve Field, chief inspector of general practice, said: “Since we began inspecting GP practices in October 2014 we have found over 200 practices to be Inadequate.

“While this is a minority, this still amounts to over half a million patients in England who were not receiving the basic standards of care that they should be able to expect from their GP practice.

The Recorder approached The Willows for a response but it declined to comment.