A Spalding GP surgery created to replace a failing centre is itself in need of improvement, according to a recently published report.
The Lincolnshire Community Health Services Trust (LCHS) acted as a caretaker and was registered from September 2019 as a GP practice.
It was inspected by the Care Quality Commission for the first time at the end of November last year.
The report concluded that overall the practice requires improvement. Only one of the five key areas was awarded good and the practice was also in breach of some regulations.
As a result of the pandemic, the inspection was carried out with a minimum amount of time on site, but using video conferencing and reviewing records.
The inspection team said that the practice did not ‘always provide care in a way that kept patients safe or monitored their treatment in line with national guidance.’
It also highlighted that further improvements were required for comprehensive medication reviews completed for patients with long term conditions.
“Significant events were not always acted upon or investigated. Lessons were not always learnt, and actions put in place,” the report says.
Effectiveness also needs improvement, says the report, as does the practice’s responsiveness.
“Information on how to complain was not readily available. Complaints were not always used as an opportunity to learn and make improvements,” the report says.
There was also no information to a complainant on how to take action.
Leadership of the practice also requires improvement as it had not always identified risks.
“There were not always governance and oversight in areas of the practice,” added the report.
Inspectors did rate the caring element as being good and said staff treated patients with kindness and respect and involved them in decisions about care.
Patients could also access care in a timely way during the COVID pandemic, the report noted.
Two breaches of regulations means the practice must establish systems for good governance and ensure there’s an effective system for dealing with complaints by patients and others in relation to regulated activity.
The surgery should also improve uptake rates for cervical screening and for childhood immunisations; monitor staffing levels for administrative, reception and clinical staff to manage workloads says the report.
Commenting on the recent Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection, Tracy Pilcher, Director of Nursing, Allied Health Professionals and Operations at Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust said: “When we took on the Spalding GP Surgery as a caretaker in 2018, it was rated ‘inadequate’ and placed in special measures.
“Since that time we have focused on improving the services offered to the local population, the latest CQC report identifies this improvement and the inspectors recognised that the practice had put a lot of effort in addressing previous safe care and treatment issues found in 2018.
“While the practice made a significant progress over the last four years, we recognise that there are still areas we need to work on and we will use the CQC feedback to guide us to make further improvements.
“We are supporting the practice to ensure that the areas of concern raised by the CQC have either been resolved or are being addressed.
“We will continue to offer support to the surgery and we will regularly review and monitor its progress.
“We would like to assure patients of our commitment to providing the highest quality, safe care for everyone.”
When it was created, it was stated the Spalding GP Surgery was a temporary measure while the NHS looked for a permanent base for a surgery in the west of the town to replace Pennygate.
When asked what the latest situation was, a spokesman said: “The service remains based at Johnson Community Hospital. Any decision relating to the future location of this service would be made in conjunction with NHS Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group as the service commissioner.”
