The Care Quality Commission has placed urgent conditions on Moreden Medical Centre in Swindon to ensure that further improvements are made to the quality of care provided. This follows a recent focused inspection of the practice in April 2019.
Inspectors carried out the unannounced inspection in response to urgent concerns raised confidentially by staff, and information from other intelligence sources.
CQC had previously inspected Morden Medical Centre on 7 March 2019, to follow up on a Warning Notice issued after inspections in November 2018. At the 7 March inspection the practice had made changes to their systems and processes, and the failings itemised in the Warning Notice had all been addressed.
However, at the inspection in April, significant concerns were identified and CQC issued conditions on the provider’s registration with immediate effect.
Systems and processes to manage patient correspondence were not effective or efficient and could have placed patients at risk of harm. There were approximately 10,000 hospital letters (and correspondence from other sources), some of which were dated from 2018, that had not all been reviewed within two days of receipt.
Inspectors looked at a sample of patients with prescriptions for high risk medicines and found the majority did not have a record of a medicines review within appropriate timescales.
Some staff had not received appropriate support, training, professional development, supervision and appraisal. For example, a practice pharmacist had not received appropriate supervision, training or appraisals.
Inspectors’ conversations with some GPs and non-clinical staff on the days of inspection reported excessive work-loads and not having the time to undertake tasks.
The practice did not have clear systems, practices and processes to keep people safe and safeguarded from harm. Patients of the practice reported poor access to appointments and long delays to see their GP. Telephone access to the practice was also considered inadequate.
A full report of this inspection has been published on the CQC website today at: www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-6487604506
Ruth Rankine, Deputy Chief Inspector of General Practice CQC’s South region said:
“Despite staff trying their best the practice was failing its patients and team. It is extremely concerning that the provider failed to notify CQC about the backlog of correspondence and other significant issues otherwise the Warning Notice would have remained in place and action would have been taken at that point to keep people safe.
“We have been informed by the local Clinical Commissioning Group that the provider of Moredon Medical Centre, Integral Medical Holdings (IMH), will no longer be operating the five GP practices in Swindon: (Moredon Medical Centre; Abbey Meads Medical Centres; Taw Hill Surgery’ Eldene Surgery and Phoenix (Toothill) Surgery).
“During the interim periods while new arrangements are being made, CQC will work closely with IMH and Swindon CCG to ensure people receive the high quality care they deserve.”
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