Two Greater Manchester health services need to improve quickly
A GP repeatedly made prescription errors, the watchdog found07:07, 21 Jun 2026Two health services have been rated ‘inadequate’ by ahealthcarewatchdog this week, the latest Greater Manchester inspection. . .
A GP repeatedly made prescription errors, the watchdog found07:07, 21 Jun 2026Two health services have been rated ‘inadequate’ by ahealthcarewatchdog this week, the latest Greater Manchester inspection round-up reveals. Multiple ‘serious’ prescription errors were found at Little Level Health Centre-2, theCare Quality Commission (CQC)said, but there was no evidence of learning or ongoing monitoring. This was not the first time these errors had been flagged by inspectors. Meanwhile, FCNA Healthcare, inHale, was found to be in breach of three legal regulations and was placed in special measures by inspectors. These related to regulations around consent, safe care, and good governance. Click here for our dedicated Makerfield by-election newsletterwith exclusive interviews and analysisConcerns were raised at both services around the safe recruitment of staff. Here is a breakdown of Greater Manchester’s recently published CQC reports:BoltonLittle Lever Health Centre-2, in the village’sMarket Street, was rated ‘inadequate’ by the CQC this week. There were multiple ‘serious prescribing errors by a particular GP’ but no evidence of learning or monitoring as a result. This was an ongoing issue, with similar mistakes found by the watchdog in 2024. Opioid prescriptions were ‘unsafe’ in several cases viewed by inspectors, with patients not routinely reviewed to ensure the medication ‘continued to be appropriate’. Test results were not dealt with ‘in a timely way’, the CQC continued. There were 69 outstanding results at the time of the inspectors visits, 31 of which were ‘outside the normal range’ for action. Multiple members of staff had not completed safeguarding training and there was confusion over who the safeguarding lead was at the practice with paperwork naming an employee who no longer worked there and current staff naming different colleagues when asked by inspectors. Some recruitment files were missing DBS checks and references, while employment histories for some people were incorrect. Appointments were consistently delayed, with just one in a three week period starting on time. Of 87 appointments analysed, 49pc of patients were seen 30 minutes or more late and 23pc of patients were seen 45 minutes or more late. However, 93pc of respondents to a national survey said they had confidence and trust in their doctor at the centre. 85pc said their GP was ‘very good or fairly good at treating them with care and concern’. The practice was rated ‘good’ in the caring category. BuryRadcliffe House, in Eastfields,Radcliffe, was rated ‘good’ by inspectors. The care home, which looks after young people, was praised for its ‘good understanding’ of its residents, with young people speaking positively about the staff there. The service encouraged those living there to take part in day-to-day activities such as cooking and shopping to help ‘build independence’, inspectors found. There were also activities planned out of the home such as swimming. The provider was also found to have a ‘proactive and positive’ approach to safety, with lessons learnt to ‘continually identify and embed good practice’. Effective plans were in place to support the young people when moving into the home. OldhamGreenbank Medical Practicealso received a ‘good’ rating. There were ‘enough qualified, skilled and experienced staff’ at the service and they received ‘effective support, supervision and development’, the CQC said. The practice also ‘ensured outcomes were positive, consistent and met the expectations’ of patients. Patients said of the service: “Nothing is too much trouble. ”However, not everyone who used the GP were satisfied, with just 51pc of respondents to a national survey saying they had a good overall experience of contacting the service compared to a national average of 70pc. In response to feedback, the practice introduced a triage system so that all requests were reviewed by a GP who prioritised patients with the most urgent needs and changed the phone system to include a ‘ring back’ function so that people did not have to wait in a queue. TraffordFCNA Homecare, in Ashley Road, is the second Greater Manchester service to be rated ‘inadequate’ this week and placed in special measures after inspectors found multiple legal breaches. These related to regulations around consent, safe care, and good governance. Article continues belowConcerns were raised over a lack of assurance that medicines were managed safely, changes in health were identified and acted on ‘in a timely way’ and people’s rights were upheld at the Hale homecare service. Failings in record keeping for service users also mean staff ‘did not have reliable, current information to share, and people could not be confident that written information reflected their actual needs’. Staff recruitment was another issue with ‘significant gaps’ in practices, including missing induction records, references and employment histories. Evidence of medicine competency and mental capacity and best interest training was also missing, meaning the provider could not show ‘how staff were enabled to deliver safe or legally compliant care’, the CQC added.