23 June 2016
During an inspection looking at part of the service
Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice
We carried out a comprehensive inspection on 18 March 2015. Overall the practice was rated as good with requires improvement for the safe domain. Following that inspection we issued a requirement notice. This notice was due to a breach of Regulation 12 HSCA (RA) Regulations 2014 Safe care and treatment. The requirement notice was for the practice to implement the necessary changes to ensure patients who used the service were protected. A copy of the report detailing our findings can be found at www.cqc.org.
Our previous key findings across the areas we had inspected that needed to improve were as follows:
The provider must:
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Ensure the security of blank prescriptions at all times.
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Ensure the safe storage of combustible items and toxic chemicals.
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Maintain the premises to a safe standard at all times.
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To ensure all aspects of infection control are maintained. The provider must ensure there are suitable arrangements in place for the management of clinical waste and ensure all areas of the practice are maintained in a way to reduce the risk of cross infection. In addition, they must ensure there are suitable arrangements for the safe handling of and management of bodily fluids taken as specimens.
The provider should:
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Ensure that non-medical electrical equipment is maintained.
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Check the water supply to ensure there is no risk of legionella.
At the previous inspection in March 2015 we had also noted that there were gaps in the prescription paper management at the practice and that the practice did not have a sufficiently detailed business continuity plan.
At the inspection undertaken in June 2016 we found:
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Changes had been put in place for prescription paper management, however, minor amendments were made during the inspection for greater security, it is the practices responsibility to ensure these measures are sustained.
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The provider had implemented safe systems for the storage of combustible items and toxic chemicals.
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The provider had implemented changes to the fabric and fittings of the building and facilities to ensure that it is safe and fit for purpose.
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Safe systems were in place for infection control, the management of clinical waste and safe handling and management of bodily fluids taken as specimens.
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We also found that changes had been put in place for non- medical electrical equipment checks, assessment of the risks of legionella and fire safety assessments at the practice. It is the practices responsibility to ensure these measures are sustained.
The provider should:
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The provider should ensure that the new system of prescription paper security is sustained.
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The provider should ensure the storage of clinical stores for specimen collection is assessed to reduce the risk of cross infection from droplet infection.
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The practice should ensure that the learning from the staff fire drills is acted upon, reviewed and updated when required.
Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP)
Chief Inspector of General Practice