Archived: Dr Hina Naila Rauf Ansari Also known as South Croydon Medical Centre

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

The Care Quality Commission received concerns in relation to GP access, how prescriptions were issued and the overall management of Dr Hina Naila Rauf Ansari (also known as South Croydon Medical Centre). As a result, we carried out unannounced, focused inspection of this practice on 24 August 2015 to look into those concerns. This report only covers our findings in relation to those issues.

As this was a focused inspection and the provider had not been inspected previously under our new methodology, no ratings have been applied to the provider at this time.

Patients were at risk of harm because systems and processes were not in place to keep them safe:

• There was a lack of managerial oversight at the practice with no effective systems in place to identify, monitor and manage risks to patients.
• There was a lack of sufficient GP cover to meet patients’ needs. Appointments were not routinely available in the afternoons and therefore patients could not always access a GP when needed and may delay them receiving medical advice and information.
• Not all staff, including locum, administrative and reception staff, had the qualifications, competence or experience to provide care or treatment to patients safely as the provider had failed to undertake the appropriate pre-employment checks on staff before they started work.

• Patients did not receive care from staff who had the skills or experience needed to deliver effective care. Staff had not received annual appraisals or training in child protection, safeguarding adults, chaperoning or basic life support.
• The provider had failed to ensure an accurate, contemporaneous and complete record was kept in respect of each patient, including a record of the care and treatment provided to the service user and the decisions taken in relation to the care and treatment provided.
• The practice had no clear leadership structure, insufficient leadership capacity and limited formal governance arrangements.

The areas where the provider must make improvements are:

• Ensure patients receive safe care and treatment by assessing the risks to the health and safety of service users and doing all that is practicably possible to mitigate those risks. For example, the risks posed by insufficient GP appointments, staff recruitment and qualifications and the lack of a defibrillator on site.
• Ensure recruitment arrangements include all necessary employment checks for all staff.
• Ensure the are sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, competent, skilled and experienced staff to meet the needs of patients and these staff receive appropriate support, training, supervision and appraisal.
• Ensure there are formal governance arrangements in place including systems for assessing and monitoring risks and the quality of the service provision.
• Clarify the leadership structure and ensure there is leadership capacity to deliver all improvements

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice