The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has taken the drastic step of suspending a Birmingham GP surgery for six months, citing serious and widespread failures in patient safety and care.
Significant Concerns Lead to Immediate Action
Naseby Medical Centre in Saltley has had its registration suspended with immediate effect. The health watchdog stated this decisive move was necessary 'to keep people safe' while urgent improvements are made. The surgery's overall rating has been downgraded from 'requires improvement' to 'inadequate'.
Inspectors found that leaders at the practice, which serves more than 5,500 patients, failed to effectively monitor long-term conditions and did not regularly review whether medications remained appropriate. The practice relied on outdated record systems containing inaccurate information, risking patients receiving treatment that did not address their current needs.
Specific Failings That Put Patients at Risk
The inspection revealed a catalogue of concerning issues. Staff were not following the latest evidence-based clinical guidance. A critical failing involved the management of patients with diabetes, who were not receiving regular reviews, leaving them at risk of developing serious, life-changing complications.
Perhaps most alarmingly, inspectors found two patients with asthma had been prescribed a medication for anxiety that rendered their asthma inhalers ineffective. There was also a failure to properly follow up with out-of-hours services. Records showed one patient who called an ambulance for a suspected stroke but refused hospital admission; the subsequent GP entry made no reference to the stroke symptoms.
Wider Systemic Issues and the Path Forward
Beyond clinical care, the CQC identified other major problems. Leaders had no effective system to investigate incidents, there were staff shortages, and fire evacuation routes were found to be blocked. Andy Brand, CQC deputy director of primary and community care in the Midlands, said leaders failed to understand the service and the risks people faced.
The practice has now been placed into 'special measures' and will be closely monitored. To ensure continuity of care, the local Integrated Care Board (ICB) has arranged for another organisation to manage services during the six-month suspension. The CQC has warned it will consider further regulatory action if urgent improvements are not made.
