CQC inspectors place Buckinghamshire GP practice into special measures

Published: 6 January 2017 Page last updated: 12 May 2022
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England’s Chief Inspector of General Practice has placed Chiltern House Medical Centre in Temple End, High Wycombe into Special Measures following an inspection by the Care Quality Commission in October 2016.

Inspectors rated the service as Inadequate for being safe and well-led, responsive to people’s needs  and caring and Requires Improvement for being effective.

A full report of this inspection has been published.

Ruth Rankine, Deputy Chief Inspector of General Practice CQC’s South region said:

“Chiltern House Medical Centre had a limited capacity to deliver the high quality care which everyone is entitled to receive from their GP practice.

“Patients were at risk of harm because systems currently in place were not embedded well enough to keep them safe. For example, opportunities to learn and improve from incidents and concerns were missed.

“For this and other areas of concern  we are placing the practice into special measures - so opening the way for the practice to receive support from NHS England among others. 

“We will continue to monitor this practice and we will inspect again in six months to check whether improvements have been made. If we find that the service remains inadequate, we will consider taking further enforcement action.”

Key findings from inspectors included:

  • Ensure the main and branch premises used by patients are safe, clean, secure, suitable for the purpose they are used and properly maintained.
  • Review the leadership and management in order to ensure the practice makes sustainable and effective improvements to their processes. Including the management of significant events, infection control and medicines management. Ensure patient feedback is reviewed and acted upon to improve the services for patients.
  • Ensure sufficient numbers of suitably qualified, competent, skilled and experienced staff are deployed to meet the requirements of the regulations and also to maintain and sufficient, accessible and safe level of service to patients.
  • Implement and make improvements to ensure all care and treatment is undertaken in a safe way. For example, the safe management of medicines.

Ends

For further information please contact CQC Regional Engagement Manager John Scott on 077898 75809 or, for media enquiries, call the press office on 020 7448 9401 during office hours. Journalists wishing to speak to the press office outside of office hours can find out how to contact the team here. (Please note: the duty press officer is unable to advise members of the public on health or social care matters). For general enquiries, please call 03000 61 61 61.

About the Care Quality Commission

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.

We make sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and we encourage care services to improve.

We monitor, inspect and regulate services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety and we publish what we find to help people choose care.