GP surgery checks use inaccurate data, says Shrewsbury doctor
Inspections by a health watchdog are an "inappropriate" way to judge general practices, a Shropshire GP said today.
Dr Mary McCarthy said the Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection regime aimed at GP practices uses "inaccurate" data.
The British Medical Association (BMA) recently carried out a national survey of 1,900 GP practices in England.
They say according to the information gathered, the inspection regime is damaging patient care by diverting resources and GP time away from treating patients.
Key findings from the survey were that eight out of 10 GP practices reported that preparing for a CQC inspection resulted in a reduction in time available to care for patients.
The survey also found three-quarters of GPs (74 per cent) felt the inspection regime could make them more likely to leave general practice.
Dr McCarthy, of Belvidere Medical Practice in Shrewsbury, is chairman of the local medical committee and represents Shropshire on the BMA's GP committee.
She said: "The CQC is an inappropriate mechanism for inspecting general practice.
"It uses 'intelligent monitoring' (data inspection) which has been shown to be inaccurate.
"Belvidere Practice was judged as a failing practice using this criteria and as such was on the front page of the Shropshire Star.
"When the inspection was actually done in the summer it was rated as 'outstanding' – as were 26 per cent of Shropshire practices that have been inspected.
"So in Shropshire we have good and indeed excellent practices.
"However the stress induced by the inspection process affects everyone in the surgery.
"It takes up time and distracts clinical staff from patient care. The amount of bureaucracy that English GPs are burdened with is excessive."
Nobody from CQC was available for comment.
