A south-east London GP surgery remains in special measures for a second time after being rated Inadequate overall again by the Care Quality Commission.
Charterhouse Surgery in Sevenoaks Road, Orpington, in the London Borough of Bromley, was rated Inadequate for being safe and well-led. It was rated Requires Improvement for being effective, caring and responsive, following the inspection on 27 September 2017.
Although the practice had addressed some of the concerns raised in a previous inspection, patients were still at risk of harm as the system in place for monitoring patients on high risk medicines was ineffective.
The practice only provides 26 GP sessions each week and this was reflected in significantly below average national GP patient survey results in relation to access to appointments.
Some of the patients said that the recent changes made by the practice had improved telephone access and made it easier to make an appointment with a GP, with urgent appointments available each day. However, some of the patients still indicated difficulty in accessing appointments.
Information about services and how to complain was available. Improvements were made to the quality of care as a result of complaints and concerns.
The practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs.
The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.
However, there were areas where the provider must make improvements:
- It must ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way for patients - including the safe management of medicines.
- It must ensure that all patients’ needs are identified and care and treatment met their needs.
- It must ensure all practice policies and protocols are up to date.
In addition the provider should:
- Review the results of the national GP patient survey results and address low scoring areas to improve patient satisfaction especially in access.
Professor Ursula Gallagher, CQC Deputy Chief Inspector of GP Practices, said:
“While there have been some improvements at Charterhouse Surgery, this service was placed in special measures in 30 March 2017 on publication of November 2017 report. Insufficient improvements have been made and the practice is still rated as Inadequate overall and remains in special measures. Therefore we are taking action in line with our enforcement procedures to begin the process of preventing the provider from operating the service.”
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Insufficient improvements have been made and the practice is still rated as Inadequate overall and remains in special measures. Therefore we are taking action in line with our enforcement procedures to begin the process of preventing the provider from operating the service.
Professor Ursula Gallagher, Deputy Chief Inspector of GP Practices