CQC places Dr NHR Simpson's Practice into Special Measures

England’s Chief Inspector of General Practice has placed a Leicestershire GP practice into special measures following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission.

The Care Quality Commission has found the quality of care at Dr NHR Simpson's Practice in Loughborough, Leicestershire, to be Inadequate following an inspection carried out in June 2015. A full report of the inspection has been published today.

Dr NHR Simpson’s Practice is located at Barrow Health Centre, Barrow-Upon-Soar, Loughborough, covered by NHS West Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Under CQC’s new programme of inspections, all of England’s GP practices are being given a rating according to whether they are safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led.

The practice did not have a clear vision to deliver high quality care and promote good outcomes for patients. The practice did not have a strategy and business plan for the future

The report highlights a number of areas where improvements must be made including:

• There should be systems in place to ensure all clinicians are kept up to date with national guidance and guidelines.
• The practice should ensure there are formal governance arrangements in place including systems for assessing and monitoring risks and the quality of the service provision.
• Ensure staff have appropriate policies, protocols and guidance to carry out their roles in a safe and effective manner which are reflective of the requirements of the practice including the business continuity plan to be updated and personalised to the practice.
• The practice should clarify the leadership structure and ensure there is leadership capacity to deliver all improvements.
• Ensure that full investigations of serious incidents are undertaken and actions and lessons learned are taken to prevent reoccurrence. Also to demonstrate candour where necessary.
• Update registration details for provider, partners and registered manager.

CQC will inspect the practice again to consider whether sufficient improvements have been made and support the practice while it addresses the issues identified by the inspection.

Janet Williamson, Deputy Chief Inspector of General Practice and Dentistry in CQC’s Central region said:

“It is important that the people who are registered with Dr NHR Simpson's Practice can rely on getting the high quality care which everyone is entitled to receive from their GP.

“The practice did not have a clear vision to deliver high quality care and promote good outcomes for patients. The practice did not have a strategy and business plan for the future. ”

“We know that Dr NHR Simpson's Practice has acknowledged the areas where action must be taken. We have found significant areas of concern, which is why we are placing the practice into special measures - so opening the way to support from NHS England among others.

“We will continue to monitor this practice and we will inspect again in six months to check whether improvements have been made. I am hopeful that the practice will do what is required for the sake of its patients, but if we find that the service remains inadequate, we will consider taking further action.”

Ends

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