The provider of Haringey’s The Staunton Group Practice has been de-registered by the Care Quality Commission. However, patients are still being cared for by a caretaker team at the same premises.
CQC first sought to cancel this registration in 2018, but the provider chose to exercise their right to appeal. Since the provider’s latest appeal was refused the CQC has now cancelled the surgery’s registration.
The providers registered at the Staunton Group Practice had been found to be delivering poor care since August 2017 and had been suspended in May 2018. At the last inspection in October 2018 it was again rated Inadequate overall and Inadequate in all areas CQC rates - for being safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led and the suspension was extended. However, following the discovery of further concerns the CQC moved to cancel the registration altogether, a step that is only taken in the most serious cases.
CQC will shortly publish an updated version of that inspection report at www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-573879781
At the October inspection the inspectors found the practice did not to have effective systems in place to ensure that people were protected from abuse. Inspectors also found evidence of unsafe prescribing - medicines reviews for patients on high risk medicines were not being carried out.
The practice did not have appropriate arrangements to monitor blank prescription forms and pads. Records of over 600 patients who were previously registered at other practices had not been consolidated with their records at the practice, meaning their medical histories were incomplete.
Inspectors saw evidence of unsafe practice, with emergency drugs and equipment stored in unlocked rooms, accessible to patients and visitors. Infection prevention and control practices did not keep patients, staff and contractors protected from safety risks.
The practice had not planned its services to meet the needs of the practice population. Patients continued to find telephone access difficult. Routine appointments were not available for three-to-four weeks.
Deputy Chief Inspector for Primary Medical Services, Ursula Gallagher, said:
“The patients of this provider had been receiving substandard care for too long and we were left with no option but to cancel this provider’s registration. Patients should be assured that they will continue to receive care from the caretaker practice management now in place.
“When care becomes as poor as that which we found at this practice, we will not hesitate to use our full enforcement powers, which is what we have done in this case.”
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