Following a second inspection a Bromley GP practice has been rated Inadequate by the Care Quality Commission - and placed into special measures after failing to demonstrate sufficient improvement.
At its original comprehensive inspection details of which were published in June 2016, the practice, which looks after approximately 5,100 people, was rated Requires Improvement overall.
When the CQC returned to undertake a focused inspection at Dr Atul Arora’s surgery at the Sundridge Medical Practice in Bromley Lane, in December 2016, CQC found that the safe and well-led domains could now only be rated as Inadequate.
CQC’s key findings at the most recent inspection included:
The provider did not provide CQC with evidence to demonstrate any medical indemnity insurance in place for three members of staff. This was addressed after the inspection.
The practice had improved its system for managing medicines but this was still not effective.
The practice had purchased and installed oxygen and a defibrillator, to ensure it was suitably equipped to manage medical emergencies, but here was no system in place to monitor the condition of the defibrillator.
The provider had not made improvements to identifying patients with caring responsibilities.
The practice must now:
- Assess, monitor and improve the quality and safety of the services provided.
- Ensure that medicines and equipment are appropriately managed.
- Ensure recruitment checks are conducted prior to the employment of new staff.
- Ensure that persons employed receive appropriate training.
- Ensure that relevant records for persons employed are obtained and suitably maintained, and all practice policies are fit for purpose.
- In addition the provider should review and improve how patients with caring responsibilities are identified and recorded on the clinical system to ensure that information, advice and support is made available to them.
Ursula Gallagher, CQC's Deputy Chief Inspector of General Practice, said:
“We are very disappointed to find that the situation at Dr Atul Arora’s practice has not improved and that we must now place it into special measures. Services placed in special measures will be inspected again within six months. Special measures will give people who use the service the reassurance that the care they get should improve."
“The service will be kept under review and if needed could be escalated to urgent enforcement action. Where necessary, another inspection will be conducted within a further six months, and if there is not enough improvement we will move to close the service.”
Patients registered with the practices being placed into special measures should be aware that a package of support is offered by NHS England and the Royal College of GPs to ensure that there are no immediate risks to patient safety at these GP practices whilst improvements are being made.
A full report of this inspection has been published on our website.
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