The Care Quality Commission
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  • GP practice

Archived: Dr Maher Shakarchi Also known as Dr Shakarchi's Practice

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

Belgrave Medical Centre, 13-13A Pimlico Road, London, SW1W 8NA (020) 7824 8827

Provided and run by:
Dr Maher Shakarchi

Important: The provider of this service changed. See new profile

All Inspections

11 November 2016

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Maher Shakarchi (also known as Dr Shakarchi’s Practice) on 10 December 2014. The overall rating for the practice was requires improvement. The full comprehensive report on the 10 December 2014 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Dr Maher Shakarchi on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.

This inspection was an announced comprehensive inspection carried out on 11 November 2016 to confirm that the practice had carried out their plan to meet the legal requirements in relation to the breaches in regulations that we identified in our previous inspection on 10 December 2014. This report covers our findings in relation to those requirements and also additional improvements made since our last inspection.

Overall the practice is now rated as good.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

  • There was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events.
  • The practice had clearly defined and embedded systems to minimise risks to patient’s safety.
  • Staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current evidence based guidance.
  • Staff had been trained to provide them with the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment.
  • The practice had effective systems in place to minimise risks to patient safety.
  • Staff were aware of current evidence based guidance.
  • Staff had the skills and knowledge to deliver effective care and treatment.
  • Patients said they felt the practice offered an excellent service and staff were kind, attentive, caring and helpful and treated them with dignity and respect.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available, but the complaints policy required updating. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
  • The majority of patients found it easy make an appointment with a GP with urgent appointments available the same day.
  • The practice had adequate facilities and was equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
  • There was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management.
  • The practice sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
  • The provider was aware of and complied with the requirements of the duty of candour.

However, there were also areas of practice where the provider needs to make improvements.

The areas where the provider should make improvement are;

  • Ensure a health and safety poster is displayed which identifies local health and safety representatives and implement a log of weekly fire alarm checks.
  • Continue to make improvements in the performance for QOF, including patient outcomes in long-term conditions, childhood immunisations and cervical screening programme to align with local and national averages.
  • Continue to identify and support more patients who are carers.
  • Review the complaints policy to ensure all content is up to date.
  • Consider permanent installation of the hearing loop to assist patients with hearing impairment.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

10 December 2014

During a routine inspection

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Dr Maher Shakarchi on 10 December 2014. Overall the practice is rated as requires improvement.

Specifically, we found the practice to require improvement for providing safe, effective and well-led services. It also required improvement for providing services for the Older people, People with long-term conditions, Families, children and young people, Working age people (including those recently retired and students), People whose circumstances may make them vulnerable and People experiencing poor mental health (including people with dementia). It was good for providing a caring and responsive service.

Our key findings across all the areas we inspected were as follows:

  • Staff understood and fulfilled their responsibilities to raise concerns, and to report incidents and near misses. Information about safety was recorded, monitored, appropriately reviewed and addressed.
  • Data showed patient outcomes were at or above average for the locality.
  • Patients said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and that there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments usually available the same day.
  • Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and they were involved in their care and decisions about their treatment.
  • Information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.
  • The practice held regular practice and clinical meetings.
  • Access to the service was very good with extended opening hours and longer appointments for patients where needed.
  • The practice was proactive in seeking and responding to patient feedback.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are:

  • Ensure equipment is properly maintained and suitable for it’s purpose.
  • Ensure lessons learnt from significant events are shared with all relevant staff.
  • Ensure clinical audit cycles are completed and are used to drive improvements in patient care.
  • Ensure that all at risk patients are suitably identified and their records accessible to all relevant staff.
  • Ensure all staff receive safeguarding vulnerable adults training.

In addition the provider should:

  • Ensure care plans are fully completed
  • Ensure a Legionella risk assessment is undertaken.
  • Ensure all staff who act as a chaperone to patients are suitably trained.
  • Ensure there is a back-up system for the diversion of the telephone line should the practice experience a power cut.
  • Ensure there is a coordinated approach of the fire procedure with other’s who share the building.
  • Ensure there is evidence to demonstrate that any person making a decision on behalf of a patient who lacks capacity, has the legal right to do so.
  • Ensure formal arrangements are in place for access and use of an automated external defibrillator (AED).

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice