Policies and Procedures Need to be Embedded into Daily Practice if Inadequate CQC Rating is to be Avoided

Halbutt Street Medical Practice in Dagenham, has been rated Inadequate overall by the Care Quality Commission and has been placed into special measures.

The practice, in the London borough of Barking and Dagenham, was rated Inadequate for being safe and well-led, it was rated Requires Improvement for being effective, caring and responsive.

Inspectors found that the practice:

• was not consistently following its own policies and procedures. 
• did not have clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen.
• still scored below the national average in the National GP Patient Survey in relation to satisfaction with both doctors’ and nurses’ consultations. The practice was aware of this and had identified themes in patient feedback and had an action plan in place to address lower scoring areas in the NHS national patient survey. 
• had failed to act effectively on issues with telephone access for patients.

The provider must now:

• Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients.
• Establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.

It should now:

• Improve uptake of childhood immunisations and cervical screening.
• Improve engagement with patients with diabetes.
• Consider how to record verbal complaints and actions.
• Review systems to allow patients with communication needs to access services.

Professor Ursula Gallagher, Deputy Chief Inspector, Primary Medical Services, said: “I am disappointed with the lack of improvement at Halbutt Street Medical Practice. We are placing it into special measures, which will give people who use the service the reassurance that the care they get should improve. The provider will be kept under review and if needed could be escalated to urgent enforcement action.”