England’s Chief Inspector of General Practice has rated Dr Kandiah Pathmanathan’s practice at the Covent Garden Medical Centre in central London, as Inadequate overall following an inspection in November 2016.
Care Quality Commission inspectors found that patients were at risk of harm because systems and processes were not in place in a way to keep them safe. Inspectors identified concerns with the way significant incidents were managed, with infection prevention and control measures; with management of medicines; and arrangements for dealing with emergencies.
Other findings included:
- Risks to patients were not consistently assessed, monitored or managed.
- Patients’ care and treatment did not consistently reflect current evidence-based guidelines.
- Patient feedback indicated delays in obtaining routine appointments.
- The needs of patient groups were not fully taken into account when planning services. For example, the provider told inspectors that due to pressure of work he had to concentrate on patients with acute healthcare issues, and did not always have the time to support the practice nurse to manage patients with long-term conditions.
Professor Ursula Gallagher, CQC Deputy Chief Inspector of primary medical services said:
“It is important that people who are registered at Dr Kandiah Pathmanathan’s practice can rely on getting the high quality care which everyone is entitled to receive from their GP."
“The practice must now ensure that care and treatment is provided in a safe way. It must ensure that sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, staff are deployed and that they receive appropriate support, to enable them to safely carry out their duties. It must ensure that emergency medical equipment is safe and used in a safe way and ensure the proper and safe management of medicines and it must ensure that patients’ care and treatment reflects current evidence-based guidelines."
“We are placing this practice in special measures – and we would now encourage the practice to seek the support it needs to improve. Practices placed in special measures will be inspected again within six months. If insufficient improvements have been made we will take action in line with our enforcement procedures to begin the process of preventing the provider from operating the service."
Patients registered with the practices being placed into special measures should be aware that a package of support is offered by NHS England and the Royal College of GPs to ensure that there are no immediate risks to patient safety at these GP practices whilst improvements are being made.
You can read the report in full on our website
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It is important that people who are registered at Dr Kandiah Pathmanathan’s practice can rely on getting the high quality care which everyone is entitled to receive from their GP.
Professor Ursula Gallagher, CQC Deputy Chief Inspector of primary medical services