The Care Quality Commission (CQC) has found the quality of care provided by Rishton and Great Harwood Surgery, Lancashire to be Good following an inspection in May 2017.
CQC carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at this service in September 2016. The overall rating for the practice at that time was inadequate and the practice was placed in special measures for a period of six months
At this recent inspection, CQC rated the service as Good for safety, effectiveness, caring and responsiveness and Requires Improvement for well-led. A copy of the CQC report can be found on our website.
Some of the findings from the latest inspection included:
Improvements had been made to the systems with which the practice monitored patients taking high risk medication and shared information regarding vulnerable patients with other agencies.
Appropriate safeguarding training had been completed by the majority of staff and
there were now systems in place for identifying, recording and learning from significant events. Inspectors could see that patients were notified when things went wrong with care and treatment.
CQC’s Deputy Chief Inspector of General Practice in the North, Alison Holbourn, says:
“At an inspection in September 2016 we did not believe that the Rishton and Great Harwood Surgery was likely to resolve its challenges without being placed into special measures. The practice had previously been rated as inadequate, for safety, effectiveness and well-led."
“In our recent inspection, Inspectors could now see that there were improved systems around recognising, recording and learning from significant events. In addition patients were consistently and strongly positive about access to appointments at the practice. They said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP and there was continuity of care, with urgent appointments available the same day."
There are still a few areas that need to be addressed. Importantly, the provider must establish effective systems and processes to ensure good governance in accordance with the fundamental standards of care.
“Significant progress has been made at Rishton and Great Harwood Surgery and the service will be taken out of special measures and the conditions that had previously imposed will be removed. This recognises the major improvements that have been made to the quality of care provided by the service and I congratulate them.”
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