UNSAFE electrical wiring and out-of-date emergency medical equipment is putting more than 5,000 patients of a Reading surgery at risk.

South Reading Surgery on Whitley Wood Road was found to be 'inadequate' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following an inspection on January 11.

Inspectors found numerous signs of mismanagement and poor health and safety measures, including badly installed electrical wiring that had been identified in 2014 but not fixed.

Surgery bosses also failed to properly check emergency medicines, meaning out of date equipment was still in use.

The report reads: "Patients were at risk of harm because systems and processes were not in place to keep them safe.

"For example, electrical wiring and fire risk assessments identified high risk actions which had not been carried out in a timely way.

"In addition, the practice had not undertaken health and safety risk assessments, including legionella.

"Some aspects of the legislation regarding the control of substances hazardous to health were not being met."

The inspection also revealed the surgery's lead nurse had not been given proper infection control training and that recruitment checks had not been made before some staff were taken on.

Although safety and leadership were deemed 'inadequate', and the surgery's responsiveness and level of care requiring 'improvement', the effectiveness of services was 'good'.

One of the more flattering parts of the reports states: "Staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment."

South Reading Surgery was contacted but declined to comment.