A practice in south-east London has been rated ‘inadequate overall’ after a Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in September 2017.
It is the second time the Charterhouse Surgery in the London Borough of Bromley receives this rating, after it was rated inadequate overall following another inspection in November 2016.
The practice provides services to approximately 7,400 patients and operates in the least deprived decile in England.
The CQC has found that, although the practice did respond to some of the issues that were formerly outlined after a previous inspection, the system to monitor patients on high risk medicines was ineffective, which was putting patients’ safety at risk.
‘Patients were at risk of harm because systems and processes were not in place to keep them safe,’ the report said.
The inspectors found that the practice had suffered a ‘further loss of clinical staff since our last inspection’. For this reason, the practice only offered 26 GP sessions each week.
Patients told the CQC that the practice had made changes that improved the appointment system. However, according to an NHS England GP Patient Survey, 24% of patients at Charterhouse Surgeryusually get to see or speak to their preferred GP, versus a national average of 56%.
CQC deputy chief inspector of GP Practices professor Ursula Gallagher 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.’
Speaking on behalf of the practice NHS Bromley Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) said: ‘Charterhouse surgery is currently considering the outcome of the CQC inspection report, which has been published following an inspection undertaken in September 2017.
‘Prior to that date, and in response to a patient survey, the practice has been working to improve both telephone and face-to-face access, and to put measures in place to monitor high risk medications. The practice has also worked to ensure that policies and protocols are up to date and in place.’
