A medical centre in the London borough of Newham has been rated Inadequate overall by the Care Quality Commission.
Upton Lane Medical Centre was rated Inadequate for being safe, effective, caring and well-led. It was rated Requires Improvement for being responsive to people’s needs, following an inspection in March 2018.
Inspectors found that risks to patients were not assessed and well managed. This included in the areas of infection control, legionella, fire safety and equipment.
The percentage of patient new cancer cases referred using the urgent two week wait referral pathway was significantly below average.
Patients who were carers were not identified or supported effectively. Systems for identifying and managing safety alerts and significant events were ineffective or had weaknesses.
Patient survey feedback was consistently below local and national averages and not understood or followed up effectively.
Patients experienced ongoing difficulty getting through on the phone and getting an appointment and did not feel involved in decisions about their care or treated patients with compassion, kindness, dignity and respect.
Staff recruitment checks were undertaken but there were gaps in staff training including safeguarding and mental capacity for clinical staff.
The areas where the practice must now make improvements include:
- Ensuring care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients.
- Establishing effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.
- Ensuring staff receive the appropriate support, training, professional development, supervision and appraisal necessary to enable them to carry out their duties.
Acting Deputy Chief Inspector of General Practice, Michele Golden said:
“It is always disappointing when a practice slips from Requires Improvement to Inadequate, as has happened at Upton Lane Medical Practice.
“We are placing this service into special measures. Special measures will give people who use the service the reassurance that the care they get should improve. Services placed in special measures will be inspected again within six months. If there is not enough improvement we may use our enforcement powers.”
You can read the report in full on our website.
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