A GP practice in Barking has been rated ‘inadequate’ by the health watchdog the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Inspectors found out-of-date drugs and equipment at Dr Yousef Rashid’s practice, which is based in the Orchards Health and Family Centre on Gasgoine Road, Barking.

They also found no background checks had been done on staff acting as chaperones for patients during intimate exams and procedures.

After being downgraded from ‘requires improvement’, the practice has now been placed in special measures. It serves around 2,300 patients.

“The patients that use Dr Yousef Rashid’s practice are entitled to a reasonable standard of care,” said Antony Hall, head of inspection for primary medical services in London.

“We have now placed the practice into special measures. Practices placed in special measures will give people who use the service the reassurance that the care they get should improve.”

“We will inspect again within six months and expect to see considerable improvement otherwise we may have to take further enforcement action.”

If the GP doesn’t turn it around by the next inspection, it could be closed.

The inspectors found two emergency medicines to be out-of-date and one stored incorrectly—making it unsafe to use.

But the practice also failed to have any of some of the drugs that are recommended in case of emergencies.

Seven items of emergency equipment were found to be out-of-date and some equipment hadn’t been calibrated in the last year.

Of the four staff files that were checked, none of them had proof of identity and three didn’t have employment references.

Two of the files had no signed contract and none of the four had an employment history.

The CQC has said Dr Yousef Rashid’s practice must improve safety, staff training (including child safeguarding) and governance.

The inspectors were also concerned that the practice performed below local and national levels of diabetes management.

Verbal complaints made by patients to staff were also not formally recorded—neither were staff meetings.

The practice, which has previously been known as Shifa Medical Practice, was rated ‘good’ in one area: how caring its service is.

The CQC also said the practice should improve the child vaccination rates, supporting parents to care for their children and staffing levels.

The surgery did not respond to a request for comment from the Post.