Shrewsbury medical practice told to improve
A medical practice in Shrewsbury has been told it must improve after inspectors found patients were waiting too long for appointments.
Severn Fields Medical Practice, which is based at the health village on Sundorne Road, was visited by inspectors from the Care Quality Commission in July.
In a report published this week, chief inspector of general practice Dr Rosie Benneyworth said the surgery needs to improve in being effective, responsive and being well-led.
However, although it was found to be good in the care it offered, it was concluded that its safety was inadequate.
The inspector also found it must improve its care of people of all ages, including those with poor mental health and the vulnerable.
In full:
At the time of the inspection, the practice had 16,875 registered patients and 50 staff working a mixture of full and part time hours.
The practice was found to be inadequate for providing safe services because systems and processes to keep people safe and safeguarded from abuse were not effective.
There was no safe practice in place for the safe management of medicines and a high number of patients on repeat prescriptions were overdue a review.
Results
It was also found that the system for checking emergency medicines held within the practice, and their location, required review to ensure medicines were readily accessible by staff
Dr Benneyworth also reported that an ‘effective system was not in place for the review of pathology test results’.
Not all staff had the required training and only one of the three designated fire wardens had received fire marshal training to support them in their role.
The practice was told to improve because many patients were unable to book either same day or pre-bookable appointments when they needed them and some patients found it difficult to get through to the practice on the telephone.
Julian Povey, Chair of NHS Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), said action was being taken.
He said: “The concerns raised by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in a recent inspection of Severn Fields Medical Practice, Shrewsbury, are taken very seriously.
“As a result of the report there have been immediate actions agreed by the practice, and over the forthcoming months the practice will be working closely with the CCG to ensure the necessary improvements are made for its patients.”
