A Haringey GP practice was suspended for six months by the Care Quality Commission following an inspection in May 2018 which highlighted significant concerns about patient care. This led to it being rated Inadequate in all areas – namely for being safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led.
Patients are still able to receive care at The Staunton Group Practice in Wood Green, north London, because it is currently being run by another provider. This will continue until October 2018, when it will be decided if the suspension can be lifted and the original provider can return.
At the inspection the original provider was found not to have effective systems in place to ensure that people were protected from abuse. Inspectors also found evidence of unsafe prescribing - medicines reviews for patients on high risk medicines were not being carried out.
The practice did not have appropriate arrangements to monitor blank prescription forms and pads. Records of over 600 patients who were previously registered at other practices had not been consolidated with their records at the practice, meaning their medical histories were incomplete.
Inspectors saw evidence of unsafe practice, with emergency drugs and equipment stored in unlocked rooms, accessible to patients and visitors. Infection prevention and control practices did not keep patients, staff and contractors protected from safety risks.
The practice had not planned its services to meet the needs of the practice population. Patients continued to find telephone access difficult. Routine appointments were not available for three-to-four weeks.
In order to be able to have the suspension lifted the provider must now:
- Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients.
- Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.
Professor Ursula Gallagher, CQC Deputy Chief Inspector of GP Practices, said:
“It is a matter of extreme concern when a practice falls below a certain standard of care - and the care we found The Staunton Group Practice was so concerning that we had no choice but to prevent them working.
“Presently patients are being cared for by a new leadership regime and we will need to see vast improvements at the practice before we will consider lifting the suspension.”
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It is a matter of extreme concern when a practice falls below a certain standard of care
Professor Ursula Gallagher, CQC Deputy Chief Inspector, Primary Medical Services