A private GP service in Richmond south-west London has been rated Inadequate overall by the Care Quality Commission and placed into special measures.
Medicaoptima Limited has been rated Inadequate for being well-led and effective. It was rated Requires Improvement for being safe and Good for being caring and responsive.
The practice primarily looks after the local German speaking population in the area. It also serves the local German School London.
Overall, the service had processes in place to keep patients safe; however, in some areas, such as safeguarding children and vulnerable adults, there was a lack of clear process and staff training.
There was limited evidence of activity to monitor the care provided in order to make improvements.
The provider had failed to put in place safe and effective arrangements to ensure that patients’ registered GPs were notified about the treatment provided.
The service had failed to put in place systems to ensure good governance; policies and procedures were in place, but many were not fit for purpose. The practice had failed to address areas of weakness highlighted during our previous inspection.
The service must now:
- Put in place systems and processes to ensure good governance.
- Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients.
You can read the inspection report in full when it appears on CQC’s website at www.cqc.org.uk/location/1-2070220596
Ursula Gallagher, Deputy Chief Inspector, Primary Medical Services in London, said: “Private providers are expected to deliver the same standard of safe and effective care as all the other providers that we regulate. Unfortunately, Medicaoptima Limited fell short of these standards.
“The service will be kept under review and if needed could be escalated to urgent enforcement action. Where necessary, another inspection will be conducted within a further six months, and if there is not enough improvement we will move to close the service by adopting our proposal to remove this location or cancel the provider’s registration.
“Special measures will give people who use the service the reassurance that the care they get should improve.”
Ends
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