A report into the quality of care at a Gosberton GP surgery has been published –nine months after the start of its last inspection.
Gosberton Medical Centre has around 8,000 patients and the dates of the Care Quality Commission assessment started in August last year, and finished in April.
One of the reasons given for the inspection was ‘due to information of concern received by CQC,” says the report.
“The practice sought ways to improve services for patients and used this to enhance the local community network. However, we found some concerns around the management of people’s medicines and care and treatment for people with long-term conditions such as asthma and diabetes, which resulted in a warning notice being served on the provider relating to a breach of regulation,” says the report.
The practice had developed a plan to address the issues, added the inspector.
In April this year, the rating for safety was good, with significant events and complaints appropriately managed.
“However, learning from these was not always shared with all staff,” says the report.
“Systems and processes were not consistently in place to ensure patient’s medicines were well managed and reviews for long term conditions were variable it added.
The learning culture has areas not meeting all the standards required for a ‘good’ rating but has areas where they are performing well. It was scored a two (some shortfalls)under the new system.
Staff said learning from significant events or complaints wasn’t always shared efficiently across the team.
A new lead had been identified for significant events and complaints.
Safe systems, pathways and transitions, safeguarding, involving people to manage risks, safe environments, infection control and safe and effective staffing were areas not looked at during the most recent inspections.
They all retain a three, or ‘good’ rating.
Medicines optimisation scored a two, indicating shortfalls in their service delivery.
“Variable communication with the dispensary regarding such issues,” was highlighted.
“Remote clinical searches we carried out showed that medicines were not always suitably managed and patients were not always informed of associated risks. Following our assessment, leaders told us they had taken action to address the concerns,” says the report.
Some reviews of medication had been coded incorrectly and not reviewed appropriately and some diabetic patients had nor had an annual review.
The CQC was approached for comment but nothing was received at the time of going to press.
