TWO COVENTRY GP surgeries have been placed in special measures after being rated ‘inadequate’ by the health watchdog.
The Cheylesmore Surgery, in Quinton Park, and Willenhall Primary Care Centre 2, on Remembrance Road, have been told they have six months to improve or face closure.
Investigators from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) visited both practices in September last year, publishing a report of their findings last week.
At both surgeries officers commented: “Patients were at risk of harm because systems and processes were not sufficiently in place to keep them safe.”
At the Willenhall surgery, run by Dr Zacky, officers found the life-saving defibrillator was not stored with its battery and that the pads had expired in 2002.
Willenhall Primary Care Centre 2. s
Only 76 per cent of patients at the practice said their GP was good at listening to them, compared to the national average of 89 per cent, and not all members of staff had completed induction training.
The practice also did not have a website and was closed for 5 hours between 11am and 4pm each day as well as closing its doors at 10.30am on a Thursday morning after only being open for two hours.
Willenhall Primary Care Centre 2 is based on the same site as another GP practice (Willenhall Primary Care Centre 1, run by Dr Sharma and partners) but the two are not connected.
At The Cheylesmore Surgery, CQC investigators found limited evidence to suggest staff had learnt from mistakes made.
There was also no defibrillator on site.
The Cheylesmore Surgery. s
Here, only 73 per cent of patients said the GP they had last spoken to was good at treating them with care and concern, compared to the national average of 85 per cent.
Officers also found that the surgery did not offer longer appointment to patients with learning difficulties.
Both practices have now been placed under special measures and will be re-visited by CQC investigators in the next six months to assess their progress.
If nothing has improved in that time, the CQC can cancel the practice’s registration.
Another assessment will then be taken within a further six months at which point, if there is not sufficient improvement, the practice can be closed.
Ruth Light, chief officer of Healthwatch Coventry, the local independent champion for NHS patients, said: “All Coventry residents should have access to good quality, patient friendly GP services.
“Variation in quality and access is unhelpful for patients and for public health.
“It is really important that GP practices listen to their patients and gather and act on patient views.
“We know from asking local people that patients value approachable, listening and caring practice staff and services.”
UPDATE: A previous version of this article did not make clear that there are in fact two GP surgeries practising at Willenhall Parimary Care Centre.
This was not made clear in the Care Quality Commission (CQC) report, and the watchdog has apologised to the surgery.
Willenhall Primary Care Centre 2, run by Dr Zacky, is the one detailed in the story which has been rated ‘inadequate’ by the CQC and placed in special measures.
Willenhall Primary Care Centre 1, run by Dr Sharma and partners, is based on the same site but is not connected to Willenhall Primary Care Centre 2.
It has not been rated ‘inadequate’ nor placed in special measures.
We apologise for any confusion.
