Medical centre rated good but 'requires improvement for providing safe services'

by Lisa Reeves

Thursday 12^th May 2016

Thu 12^th May 2016

A team of inspectors from the Care Quality Commission recently carried out a comprehensive inspection of Kenmore Medical Centre.

The announced inspection was carried out at the Alderley Road practice on February 26th. Overall Kenmore Medical Centre was rated as 'Good' however the practice is rated as 'requires improvement for providing safe services'.

Inspectors found that there was an open and transparent approach to safety and an effective system in place for reporting and recording significant events. Risks to patients were assessed and well managed and staff assessed patients' needs and delivered care in line with current guidance.

Professor Steve Field's report also stated staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to deliver effective care and treatment but the staff files lacked evidence of necessary checks required to show safe recruitment and selection procedures - with some files lacking any evidence of Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check and or evidence of reference checks.

Patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect and were involved in decisions about their treatment. They also said they found it easy to make an appointment with a named GP, with urgent appointments available the same day and information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand.

Inspectors found that the practice had good facilities and was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs. Additionally there was a clear leadership structure and staff felt supported by management. The practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients, which it acted on.

Inspectors also identified two areas where Kenmore Medical Centre should make improvements. Professor Steve Field's report states that the practice needs to take action to ensure its recruitment policy, procedures and arrangements are improved to ensure necessary employment checks are in place for all staff and the required information in respect of workers is held.

Additionally the provider needs to review arrangements for the security of blank loose-leaf prescriptions.

The full Care Quality Commission Report on Kenmore Medical Centre can be viewed here.

Tags:: Kenmore Medical Centre

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

DELETED ACCOUNT

Thursday 12^th May 2016 at 12:51 pm

Seems to me that the Inspector was floundering around to try and find something to criticise.

Sandra Cox

Thursday 12^th May 2016 at 5:09 pm

In total agreement Jackie. We feel very fortunate to be registered with Kenmore where we have had first-rate diagnosis and treatment.

Mark Russell

Friday 13^th May 2016 at 8:58 am

Have you 2 actually read what they were criticised for? If the practice doesn't do proper checks on prospective employees, like for example a CRB check, you could have potentially criminals dealing with YOUR sensitive information, like that would you? And as for leaving blank prescription sheets lieing around, really???

Friday 13^th May 2016 at 11:01 am

Yes Mark, I have read the full report. I suggest that you actually read what the full report says in both these respects and you will see that in terms of safeguarding and prescriptions it did well.

Kenmore Medical Centre

Friday 13^th May 2016 at 2:40 pm

All the doctors and staff at Kenmore Medical Centre are of course aware of the CQC report. We are greatly disappointed by the rating of 'Requires Improvement' in the section 'Are services Safe'. This area of the report does not relate to clinical safety which was rated as good. In the report the CQC focussed on previous employment references for all staff and DBS checks. We would like to make it clear that ALL our clinical staff have a DBS check before they start work here, DBS checks are not routinely required for administrative staff. We always take staff on a probationary period and make all the legally required checks before they work for us. We disagreed with the CQC inspector on the day over the interpretation of guidelines relating to our inspection and are working with them to have this amended as soon as possible.