A Westminster GP practice has been rated as Inadequate overall and placed into special measures by the Care Quality Commission.
Dr Thomas Barnwell’s practice, also known as Little Venice Medical Centre, was rated Inadequate for being safe and well-led following an inspection on 19 September 2016.
CQC’s inspection team found that the practice, which serves more than 4,700 patients in the London Borough of Westminster, had no clear leadership structure.
It must now clarify the leadership structure and ensure there is the capacity to deliver the required improvements. These include:
- The temperature of the medicines fridge must be monitored consistently.
- The implementation of infection control procedures.
- The correct use and disposal of sharps boxes - and the cleaning of clinical curtains.
- Ensuring staff have access to essential information and training including safeguarding and basic life support.
- Seeking and acting on feedback from patients.
Ursula Gallagher, Deputy Chief Inspector of General Practice, at CQC said:
“We are placing Dr Thomas Barnwell’s practice into special measures. Services placed in special measures will be inspected again within six months.
“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.
“We were pleased, however, that patients were positive about their interactions with staff and said they were treated with compassion and dignity.”
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.
A full report of this inspection has been published.
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