13.08.18
London GP surgery suspended by CQC after ‘significant safety concerns’
A London borough GP surgery has been suspended by the health inspectorate.
CQC inspectors suspended the Staunton Group Practice in Wood Green, north London, following an inspection in May 2018 which highlighted “significant concerns” about patient care.
The practice was rated ‘inadequate’ in all areas – namely for being safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led. Amongst areas of concern was the fact that the provider did not have effective systems in place to ensure people were protected from abuse, nor were effective systems put in place to ensure that safety alerts were appropriately sanctioned.
Inspectors also found evidence of “unsafe prescribing,” and records of over 600 patients who were previously registered at other practices were not consolidated with their records at the practice, meaning medical histories were incomplete.
The report went on to say: “We identified significant safety concerns and therefore took action in line with our enforcement procedures to urgently suspend the provider’s registration from 9 May 2018 until 23 October 2018.
“During that period, the service will be operated by another provider. The service will be kept under review and if needed could be escalated to further urgent enforcement action. Another inspection will be conducted within six months and if there is not enough improvement we may move to close the service.”
Other notable incidents included evidence of unsafe practice, with emergency drugs and equipment stored in unlocked rooms, accessible to patients and visitors. Infection prevention and control practices did not keep people in the practice protected from safety risks.
Professor Ursula Gallagher, CQC deputy chief inspector of GP practices, said: “It is a matter of extreme concern when a practice falls below a certain standard of care – and the care we found the Staunton Group Practice was so concerning that we had no choice but to prevent them working.
“Presently patients are being cared for by a new leadership regime and we will need to see vast improvements at the practice before we will consider lifting the suspension.”
The Staunton Group Practice had originally been placed into special measures in October 2017.
Enjoying NHE? Subscribe here to receive our weekly news updates or click here to receive a copy of the magazine!