CQC places London GP practice into Special Measures

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has rated the Falmouth Road Group Practice in Southwark, South London as Inadequate and has placed the surgery into special measures following an inspection in April 2015.

During a recent inspection, CQC found the provider was failing to provide care which was safe, effective, caring, well-led and responsive to people’s needs. Placement into special measures means that the practice must now make necessary improvements or face action that could result in closure.

Under CQC’s new programme of inspections, all primary medical services in England are being given a rating according to whether they are safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led.

A full report from the inspection has been published this website.

CQC found that the practice was failing to manage medicines correctly, and provided poor access to appointments with long waiting times that could be putting patients with health needs at risk.

Inadequate governance arrangements and a lack of effective processes also meant that essential recruitment checks and mandatory training for staff were not effectively undertaken.

Ursula Gallagher, Deputy Chief Inspector of Primary Medical Services, said:

“It is essential that the Falmouth Road Group Practice takes action to address the concerns we identified during the last inspection. The provider has a responsibility to ensure that all patients are safe and have access to care that meets their needs.

“When we are faced with a practice that is failing to care for patients properly, our first instinct is to work with the provider to ensure that the service improves.

“We will re-inspect the surgery within six months to check whether sufficient improvements have been made. If sufficient improvements have not been made and there remains a rating of inadequate for any key question or overall, we will take further action which may include closure.”

Ends

For further information please contact Yetunde Akintewe, CQC Regional Engagement Manager, on 07471 020 659.  For media enquiries, call the press office on 020 7448 9401 during office hours. Journalists wishing to speak to the press office outside of office hours can find out how to contact the team here. For general enquiries, please call 03000 61 61 61.