Regulator Threatens Brentford GP Surgery with Closure
Albany Practice has been rated as inadequate by Care Quality Commission
Brentford Health Centre where the Albany Road Practice is based. Picture: Google Streetview
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The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is carrying out a further review of a Brentford GP practice following the publication of a damning inspection report with closure one course of action being considered if improvements are not made.
The Albany Practice, which is based in the Brentford Health Centre, was rated as inadequate in almost every respect after a comprehensive inspection carried out last September and October. The other GP practice based at the centre is not affected by the report.
Under a pilot scheme to allow inspections to continue during the pandemic a remote clinical records review was undertaken followed by a site visit.
A previous inspection had rated the practice as requiring improvement but the more recent inspection concluded that the surgery did not have clear systems and processes to keep patients safe and lacked appropriate systems for the safe management of medicines. Staff were found to be inadequately trained and recruitment checks were poor. The inspectors concluded that the practice was unable to show that clinical staff had the skills, knowledge and experience to carry out their roles and this impacted all population groups that used the service.
The only area of assessment in which the practice was not rated as inadequate was in caring services which were rated as requiring improvement.
The inspectors said there had been a lack of effective action to address deteriorating results in the national GP patient survey indicators which were already considerably below local and national averages and had deteriorated since the previous inspection.
While some patients at the practice have defended the care received from clinical staff having received an appointment, most have reported difficulties in arranging care.
There was also an apparent lack of any complaints policy or any indication that complaints were used to drive improvement.
As a result of the report the practice was place in special measures and is due to be reviewed again shortly. If the inspectors find the practice remains inadequate in any of the categories they assess they will begin enforcement action to prevent the provider from operating the service. This could lead to the cancellation of the practice’s registration or a varying of the terms of it registration.
We were unable to contact the Albany Practice for comment.
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May 29, 2021
