Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

In May 2016, during an announced comprehensive inspection of Drs Robertson-Ritchie, de Caestecker, Mukherjee, Mah and Meera Patel, we found issues relating to the practice’s recruitment process for new employees.

During this inspection in May the practice had informed us, that they did not routinely collect employment and character references for new members of staff, including clinical members of staff for example GPs and Nurses. This was assessed as being in breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 Regulations. As a result the practice was rated as requiring improvement for safe services. It was rated as good for effective, caring, responsive and well led services, and awarded an overall rating of good.

Following the inspection the provider sent us an action plan detailing how they had reviewed and were now following their updated recruitment policy, ensuring that employee and character references were sought for all new members of staff. The practice also provided retrospective employee and character references for staff employed within the last three years.

We carried out a focused inspection of the practice in September 2016 to ensure these changes had been implemented and that the service was meeting regulations.

We found the practice had made improvements since our last inspection in May 2016, and that it was meeting the regulation relating to assessing that all staff employed were of good character, which had previously been breached.

Following this focused inspection we have rated the practice as good for providing safe services. The overall rating for the practice remains as good.

This report should be read in conjunction with the full inspection report of 10 May 2016. A full copy of the report can be found on the CQC website at: www.cqc.org.uk.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had sourced retrospective references for staff employed within the last three years.

• The practice had ensured that systems were in place in order that all staff recruited were of good character.

• The practice had reviewed its updated policy and procedures relating to staff and recruitment checks, and was now following this.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice

Our inspection on the 30 December 2013 found that patients had not always been protected from the risks of infection, because the provider had not taken appropriate measures to ensure that the risk and spread of infection was minimised at all times.

We asked the provider to take action to address these concerns. They wrote to us confirming that all required actions had been taken to comply with the regulations regarding cleanliness and infection control. A planned follow-up inspection was scheduled to check that the provider had achieved compliance.

At this inspection on the 31 July 2014, we found that the provider was able to demonstrate that they had met the compliance actions set to address the areas of concern identified at our previous inspection.

We spoke with four patients who told us they were satisfied with the service provided. They said they sometimes experienced difficulties obtaining a routine appointment that suited their needs. However, they told us that in an emergency they had always been seen on the same day. One person said “I am generally pleased with the care I receive”.

We saw that treatment options and medications prescribed were discussed and sufficient time given for patients to talk about their health issues with their practitioner.

Although we found the location to be clean and tidy, we found that there were not effective systems in place to reduce the risk and the spread of infection.

We saw that patients were cared for by staff who were supported to deliver care and treatment safely and to an appropriate standard.

There was a system in place to ensure the provider monitored and maintained the quality of service provision at the practice.

Letter from the Chief Inspector of General Practice

In May 2016, during an announced comprehensive inspection of Drs Robertson-Ritchie, de Caestecker, Mukherjee, Mah and Meera Patel, we found issues relating to the practice’s recruitment process for new employees.

During this inspection in May the practice had informed us, that they did not routinely collect employment and character references for new members of staff, including clinical members of staff for example GPs and Nurses. This was assessed as being in breach of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 Regulations. As a result the practice was rated as requiring improvement for safe services. It was rated as good for effective, caring, responsive and well led services, and awarded an overall rating of good.

Following the inspection the provider sent us an action plan detailing how they had reviewed and were now following their updated recruitment policy, ensuring that employee and character references were sought for all new members of staff. The practice also provided retrospective employee and character references for staff employed within the last three years.

We carried out a focused inspection of the practice in September 2016 to ensure these changes had been implemented and that the service was meeting regulations.

We found the practice had made improvements since our last inspection in May 2016, and that it was meeting the regulation relating to assessing that all staff employed were of good character, which had previously been breached.

Following this focused inspection we have rated the practice as good for providing safe services. The overall rating for the practice remains as good.

This report should be read in conjunction with the full inspection report of 10 May 2016. A full copy of the report can be found on the CQC website at: www.cqc.org.uk.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had sourced retrospective references for staff employed within the last three years.

• The practice had ensured that systems were in place in order that all staff recruited were of good character.

• The practice had reviewed its updated policy and procedures relating to staff and recruitment checks, and was now following this.

Professor Steve Field (CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP) 

Chief Inspector of General Practice