ADOCTOR’S surgery has been ordered to improve after Government health inspectors raised concerns about infection control.

The Billericay Medical Practice, in Stock Road, Billericay, was rapped after an unannounced visit by the Care Quality Commission.

Inspectors from the health watchdog found the practice was wanting in two of the five areas they checked – cleanliness and infection control and monitoring the quality of their service.

They found:

- No effective system in place to reduce the spread of infection

- No audit had taken place in the last 12 months

- The practice manager had no knowledge of the Department of Health’s procedures for the prevention and control of infection

- Surfaces in GP consultation rooms were dusty and cluttered

- Staff had not received training in infection prevention control

- The were no systems in place to monitor services so people were protected against unsafe care and treatment

The Care Quality Commission also found that staff had previously raised concerns over the cleaning of the practice and removal of bins last December.

The practice had raised these issues with the NHS Property Service, which is responsible for monitoring cleaning contracts, but staff told inspectors standards had not improved.

In a report, the Care Quality Commission said: “There were no systems in place to manage and monitor the prevention and control of infection.

“The provider had not considered the susceptibility of people who used the service to identify any risks that their environment and other users may pose to them.

“We asked the provider to send us a report, setting out the action they will take to meet the standards.

“We will check to make sure that this action is taken. Where providers are not meeting essential standards, we have a range of enforcement powers we can use to protect the health, safety andwelfare of people who use this service.”

The Billericay Medical Practice declined to comment.