A HAMPSHIRE GP practice has been put into special measures after unhappy patients heavily criticised it in a survey.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has taken action against the Chessel Practice in Sullivan Road, Sholing, rating it inadequate in the latest in a series of inspections.

Just 17 per cent of patients who took part in a GP survey earlier this year found it easy to get through to the surgery by phone, compared to a national average of 73 per cent.

Only 57 per cent were able to get an appointment to see or speak to someone the last time they tried, compared to an average of 77 per cent, while 49 per cent described the overall experience of their surgery as fairly good or very good compared to the average of 86 per cent.

Just 43 per cent were satisfied with the opening hours compared to the national average of 80 per cent.

The damning survey also found just 29 per cent said they would definitely or probably recommend the surgery, compared to an 80 per cent average.

Friends and family survey responses since then have shown some improvement.

Following the latest inspection it has received an overall rating of inadequate. It has been deemed inadequate in terms of safety and leadership, and told to improve its effectiveness and responsiveness.

Ruth Rankine, deputy chief inspector of general practice for the CQC’s south region said: “It is worrying that despite the concerns identified at our previous inspections, our team found a further decline in the standards and additional concerns.

“Patients were at risk of harm because systems currently in place were not embedded well enough to keep them safe.

“The leadership were out of touch with the day-to-day running of the service and there was a lack of clarity about who made decisions.

“With this in mind we had no option but to place the practice into special measures and have also served it with two warning notices.

“We will re-inspect the practice within six months to check whether sufficient improvements have been made. If we find that the service provided by this surgery remains inadequate, we will consider further action.”

The latest CQC report said: “Some staff we spoke with were not sure of the mission statement and were unsure what responsibilities the GPs had, and who to go to with concerns.”

Inspectors found that of the 14 patients recorded as being prescribed lithium at the practice, five had not received a blood test within the three-month requirement.

Run by Integral Medical Holdings (IMH), the practice has been rated good in terms of providing a caring service.

No-one from IMH or the surgery was available for comment.

IMH also runs Bath Lodge Practice in Southampton, which was rated requires improvement in August, as well as two surgeries in Basingstoke, both of which rate poorly.