WATCHDOG inspectors have waded into a row over GP phone lines as they placed a Moredon surgery in special measures

The Care Quality Commission raised patients’ concerns over the new phone appointment system at IMH-backed surgery Moredon Medical Centre, warning that GPs were failing to meet the needs of their patients.

In a damning report, the CQC rated Moredon Medical Centre inadequate. The leadership at the centre was heavily criticised and inspectors warned that health and safety and legal requirements were not being met.

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Inspectors demanded widespread improvements to ensure care was provided in a safe way, establish effective governance and ensure recruitment procedures are set up and operated effectively.

Prof Steve Field, chief inspector of general practice at the CQC, said: We found there has been insufficient management infrastructure and insufficient leadership capacity and capability. There are significant concerns regarding the lack of effective governance and oversight to ensure quality and safety are not compromised.”

The practice has been placed in special measures. It will be inspected again within six months and if there are no improvements it could result in the practice closing.

Moredon Medical Centre has previously faced problems, with a requires improvement rating from the CQC in 2014. However, the practice was rated good in 2015. Inspectors praised the clear leadership structure, saying staff felt supported by management.

What were the problems?

The CQC said the practice was breaching regulations on providing safe care and treatment.

  • The time taken to process routine referral letters was approximately five weeks.
  • The practice had not ensured the proper and safe management of blank prescriptions.
  • Monitoring of fire safety systems was not effective or well managed. Fire safety training could not be verified as having been completed.
  • The last fire risk assessment was dated April 1, 2015. There was no formal record that actions recommended in the 2015 risk assessment had been completed.
  • There was no documented fire safety procedure in use within the practice.
  • The time taken to process routine referral letters was approximately five weeks.

Staffing regulations were also not being met:

  • Several non-clinical staff told inspectors they had not received an appraisal or attended a personal development meeting in the last year.
  • The practice was unable to provide evidence of fire safety training, training in infection control, the mental capacity act or information government for staff after June 2018.
  • Staff records occasionally contained gaps in employment history, proof of good conduct at places they had worked previously, evidence of medical indemnity insurance and an induction checklist.

The latest report is likely to prove embarrassing to Swindon NHS Clinical Commissioning Group. One of Moredon’s three GP partners, Dr Peter Mack, currently sits as the CCG’s clinical chair - its most senior medical officer.

In a statement, CCG director of nursing Gill May said: “As commissioner of GP services in Swindon and Shrivenham, the CCG’s priority is to ensure our patients have access to high quality and safe GP services and therefore the CCG will continue to work with the Practice team and Integral Medical Holdings to ensure that the required improvements are made as quickly as possible.

“The CCG would like to reassure the patients of Moredon Medical Centre and the other four practices working in partnership with IMH that the central administration hub was not assessed as part of the CQC inspection.

“Although the hub is based at Moredon Medical Centre it is a joint service. The CCG acknowledges that since go live there have been some operational issues, particularly about call handling performance that have impacted on patient experience.

“The CCG primary care team have been working with IMH and the practices to ensure feedback is investigated and action taken to resolve any issues highlighted.”

IMH and Moredon Medical Centre were approached for comment.