Liverpool GP Practice Lifted Out of Special Measures

England’s Chief Inspector of General Practice has taken Kensington Park GP Surgery in Liverpool out of special measures following improvements in the quality of its services.

The practice, operated by SSP Heath Ltd, was rated Inadequate for being safe and well-led, and as requires improvement for being effective and responsive.  It was put into special measures in October 2014.  Since then it has worked hard to improve patient safety and developed better processes for reporting serious events, with staff receiving training in this area. Analysis of events and complaints is now undertaken regularly to identify themes, and lessons learned are shared to encourage learning.

At the CQC latest inspection, in October 2015, inspectors found the practice had improved in all the areas previously identified for concern. Inspectors rated the practice good for services provided to all population groups and in all key areas of inspection.

Professor Steve Field, Chief Inspector of General Practice, said:

"It is clear that Kensington Park Surgery has made improvements since our original inspection when we had serious concerns relating to the safe delivery of services and the leadership of the practice.

"With the support of NHS England and Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group, the practice has been able to make improvements, and is now providing a safe and clinically effective service.

“I am pleased to announce that Kensington Park Surgery will come out of special measures and I congratulate them on the progress they have made so far.

Sue McMillan, Deputy Chief Inspector of General Practice for the North of England, said:

“When we inspected the practice in October 2015 we found improvements had been made in several areas. There was a renewed leadership focus and the vision of care at the practice was more widely understood. Lessons had been learned and regular quality audits were taking place.

“The practice had worked on strengthening the reporting of serious events and the investigations that followed, and action had been taken to address concerns over the lack of clinical audits to improve the service.”