CQC inspectors place Swindon GP practice into special measures

England’s Chief Inspector of General Practice has placed Park Lane Practice in Swindon, into Special Measures following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission in April 2017.

Inspectors rated the service as Inadequate for being well-led and responsive to people’s needs and Requires Improvement for being safe, effective and caring

A full report of this inspection has been published on our website today.

Ruth Rankine, Deputy Chief Inspector of General Practice CQC’s South region, said:

“Our inspectors had previously carried out an inspection at Park Lane Practice in January 2016 where the service was rated as Requires Improvement. This inspection was planned to focus on the work the practice had carried out since that first visit."

“It is worrying that despite the concerns identified at that first inspection, our team found a further decline in the standards. Patients were at risk of harm because systems currently in place were not embedded well enough to keep them safe. For example, same day appointments for children or those who require same day medical care were not always available and sufficient recruitment checks had not been carried out for all staff."

“With this in mind we had no option but to place the practice into special measures. We will re-inspect the practice within six months to check whether sufficient improvements have been made. If we find that the service provided by this surgery remains inadequate, we will consider further action."

Key findings of CQC’s inspection included:

• The practice did not have an effective appointment booking and telephone system to meet people’s needs and preferences.
• Sufficient references were not obtained for all employed staff.
• The staff who triage patient’s phone calls had not received training and clear guidance for the role
• A document that outlines how the practice plans to develop and improve its services must be put in place.

The practice must improve how discussions and actions agreed during meetings are recorded and ensure that learning points are shared with all staff effectively.

Ends

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