As a result of serious concerns found by inspectors, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) has taken enforcement action against DMC Healthcare following an inspection at a Kent GP practice.
CQC inspectors visited DMC Albion Place Medical Practice in Maidstone, Kent after concerns were raised about the standards of care and the risk to patients.
This inspection, which took place in October 2021, was the first rated inspection of the service under DMC management.
During this inspection, CQC found significant and ongoing issues of patients being exposed to the risk of harm.
People’s care needs were not being met and there was a lack of clinical leadership who were aware of patients’ needs.
Following this inspection, DMC Albion Place Medical Practice was rated inadequate overall.
The practice was also rated as inadequate for being safe, effective and well-led. The service was rated as requires improvement for being responsive and good for caring.
CQC imposed conditions requiring rapid improvements to ensure the safe care and treatment of patients.
The provider failed to meet those conditions, and CQC has taken further enforcement action against DMC Healthcare.
Inspectors also visited DMC The Church View Practice in Rainham. Following this inspection, the service was rated requires improvement overall, inadequate for being well-led, requires improvement for safe and effective, and good for caring and responsive. Following that inspection, CQC issued a warning notice to the provider.
Since 1 January 2022, a new provider has taken on the running of both Albion Place Medical Practice and The Church View Practice.
Dr Mani Hussain, CQC’s deputy chief inspector of primary medical services, said:
“After this latest inspection, we had no choice but to use our enforcement powers to protect people who were using services at Albion Place Medical Practice. We had previously called for improvements, but the action of DMC Healthcare at Albion Place Medical Practice has been ineffective.
“We did not have confidence that DMC Healthcare had a credible strategy to deliver high quality sustainable care, and we could not leave people at risk of harm.
“Following the inspection, we imposed conditions on the registration of the service to ensure improvements were made.
“However, as the conditions were not met, we are now taking further action in relation to this provider and will report on this when we’re able to do so.
“On 1 January a new provider took over the running of Albion Place Medical Practice, Maidstone and The Church View Practice, Rainham.
“Our first priority is always the welfare of the patients who need to use medical services."
Inspectors found the following at Albion Place Medical Practice:
- At the time of the inspection there were a concerning number of pathology results (dating back to 1 October 2021) and over 5,000 items of clinical correspondence that had not been actioned. Clinical staff told inspectors that at times they were so overworked they did not always have time to review all pathology results or clinical correspondence in a timely manner
- Whenever a patient went into hospital, there was no evidence that their case was properly reviewed by a GP
- Managers in the service were not aware of the requirements of the prescription corporate policy. Inspectors found prescription stationery was not stored securely or in line with the practice corporate policy. Records that tracked the distribution of prescription stationery were not filled in consistently or in line with corporate practice policy
- Inspectors found incomplete employment histories for two out of the three records reviewed. Gaps in employment history were not explained. Application forms or CVs required for shortlisting and interview summaries were not recorded appropriately in line with the practice recruitment policy
- The practice did not have a clear audit trail for the management of changes to a patient’s medicines including changes made by other services.
Read the report pubished on the CQC website:
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