A DOCTORS' surgery in Woodley that failed to carry out appropriate checks before hiring staff has been told to make improvements.

The Care Quality Commission has rated the Loddon Vale Practice as 'requires improvement', following an inspection in May.

The practise had a 'comprehensive' inspection after patients tipped off the authority about some of their concerns.

The inspectors found that the practise had not always been carrying out the proper checks required before recruiting staff.

In the last 18 months the practise has recruited two new GPs and a new practise manager.

Inspectors grade each service on five categories, whether the service is: Safe, effective, caring, responsive to people's needs and well led.

The Hurricane Way surgery failed to meet expectations in the safe, effective and well led criteria.

An inspector who visited the site on May 27 said: "Patients were at risk of harm because systems and processes in place to keep them safe were operated inconsistently.

"For example appropriate recruitment checks on staff had not been undertaken prior to their employment.

"Response to medicine alert was inconsistent and there was no system in place to corroborate that action required from medicine alerts had been completed.

"Travel vaccinations were not being administered in accordance with current legislation."

Despite the negatives, the surgery was rated good in the caring and responsive categories.

East Reading MP Rob Wilson, who has been in discussions with Woodley surgeries over improvements to patients' service, said: "I'm sure that some elements of the CQC report will come as a great disappointment to the management team at the practice, but the emphasis I'm sure will be placed on addressing the areas requiring improvement and working hard to ensure the very best services are provided for patients.

"As a more general point, it is essential that local residents have absolute confidence in their GP practices. I trust that all CQC assessments will be treated very seriously by decision-makers."