We carried out a previous announced comprehensive inspection on 19 October 2017 to ask the service the following key questions: Are services safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?
We identified a breach of Regulation 17 HSCA (RA) Regulations 2014 Good governance and two areas the service should improve relating to safe, effective and well-led services. The full report on the 19 October 2017 inspection can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Essex Lodge Surgery on our website at www.cqc.org.uk.
This inspection was an unannounced focused inspection carried out on 1 May 2018 in response to concerns that were reported to us, and to check whether the practice had carried out their plan to address requirements relating to the breach in regulations we identified in the previous October 2017 inspection.
Our findings were:
Are services safe?
We found that this service was providing safe care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services effective?
We found that this service was not providing effective care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Are services well-led?
We found that this service was providing well-led care in accordance with the relevant regulations.
Background
We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 as part of our regulatory functions. This inspection was planned to check whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Health and Social Care Act 2008.
At the last inspection on 19 October 2017 there were breaches of legal requirements due to concerns regarding arrangements for clinicians medical indemnity insurance, a lack of clinical quality improvement activity, and best practice clinical guidelines were out of date. In addition, there were areas the provider should improve for patients requiring prescribed medicines, storing patient paper records electronically, and to ensure adequate clinical staff cover.
At this inspection 1 May 2018 most of these arrangements had improved.
Dr Hardip Nandra is the registered manager. A registered manager is a person who is registered with the Care Quality Commission to manage the service. Like registered providers, they are ‘registered persons’. Registered persons have legal responsibility for meeting the requirements in the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and associated Regulations about how the service is run.
Our key findings were:
- Arrangements for patients requiring prescribed medicines had improved and were appropriate.
- Effective recruitment processes were in place and clinicians were appropriately insured.
- Clinical care was provided in line with best practice guidelines.
- There was no clinical quality improvement activity to improve patient outcomes.
- There were proper policies, procedures and activities that ensured safety and were accessible to all staff.
- Storage arrangements for patient’s clinical records were appropriate.
We identified regulations that were not being met and the provider must:
- Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.