19 September 2023
During an inspection looking at part of the service
We carried out an announced focused inspection at Farrow Medical Centre on 18 and 19 September 2023. This inspection was not rated.
Following our previous inspection on 18 and 20 April 2023, the practice was rated as inadequate overall. The key questions of safe, responsive, effective and well-led were rated as inadequate. The rating for the provision of caring services was good.
As a result of the April 2023 inspection, we issued the provider with warning notices for breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 for Regulation 12: Safe care and treatment, Regulation 16: Complaints and Regulation 17 Good governance.
During this inspection, undertaken on 18 and 19 September 2023, we saw improvements had been made to the practice’s management of recruitment processes, antibiotic prescribing, consent processes, cold chain management, and how the practice dealt with complaints. However, risks to control the spread of infections at the practice had not been managed appropriately, and our searches of clinical records identified some issues regarding the safe and appropriate management of patient medicine and care and treatment.
The full reports for previous inspections can be found by selecting the ‘all reports’ link for Farrow Medical Centre on our website at www.cqc.org.uk
Why we carried out this inspection
We carried out this inspection to follow up breaches of regulation from a previous inspection. This was a focused, unrated inspection to review the warning notices for Regulation 12: Safe care and treatment and Regulation 16: Complaints.
How we carried out the inspection
This inspection was carried out in a way which enabled us to spend a minimum amount of time on site.
This included:
- Conducting staff interviews using video conferencing.
- Completing clinical searches on the practice’s patient records system (this was with consent from the provider and in line with all data protection and information governance requirements).
- Reviewing patient records to identify issues and clarify actions taken by the provider.
- Requesting evidence from the provider.
- A short site visit.
Our findings
We based our judgement of the quality of care at this service on a combination of:
- what we found when we inspected
- information from our ongoing monitoring of data about services and
- information from the provider, patients, the public and other organisations.
We found that:
- The premises was well maintained, clean and tidy, however the provider could not demonstrate that all risks to control the spread of infections at the practice had been managed appropriately.
- There was an effective system in place to ensure that recruitment checks were carried out in accordance with regulations.
- There were some issues identified with the safe and appropriate management of patient medicines, care and treatment.
- Consent to care and treatment was obtained in line with legislation and guidance.
- The practice had significantly reduced their rate of antibiotic prescribing from January to May 2023.
- There was effective management of vaccine handling and storage.
- There was a functioning system in place to effectively manage the receiving, recording, handling of and responding to complaints.
The areas where the provider must make improvements as they are in breach of regulations are:
- Ensure care and treatment is provided in a safe way to patients.
Please see the specific details on action required at the end of this report.
Details of our findings and the evidence supporting our ratings are set out in the evidence tables.
Dr Sean O’Kelly BSc MB ChB MSc DCH FRCA
Chief Inspector of Health Care