BAPIO raises issue of harassment of single handed GP surgeries in a Meeting with Professor Steve Field Chief Inspector of General Practice, Care Quality Commission (CQC)
On 23rd February Dr Ramesh Mehta and Anand Deshpande (Chair of Thurrock CCG and BAPIO Vice Chair) met Steve Field to discuss problems faced by Small practices mostly run by BME doctors. BAPIO highlighted the prevalent feeling of frustration and exasperation about CQC visits amongst the GPs and in particular amongst the BME singlehanded Practioners. Professor Field was accompanied by Professor Ursula Gallagher, Deputy Chief Inspector of General Practice.
Steve said ‘I would like to reassure you that we are not targeting single handed practices or indeed have any thoughts about forcing them to merge but as I said earlier, professional isolation is a worry rather than the organisational form’ Steve pointed out that the NHS has allocated £10 Million to support the ‘Inadequate Practices’. He also mentioned the support available to such practices from RCGP.
BAPIO discussed its REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS OF ‘THE BAPIO Moving Forward after Francis review’ Meeting held on the 3rd July 2015.
BAPIO RECOMMENDATIONS for CQC:
CQC Inspectors should cross check all information supplied by the Trust and openly share them with the specialist advisers. There should be accountability of individual inspectors with embedded Quality Control Inspectors within each inspection team. All figures relating to Equality & Diversity should be viewed with a considerable degree of skepticism, all leads should be diligently followed up. Vulnerable staff e.g. BME should be separately met and issues explored sensitively. The areas needing special consideration are: checking for achievement of WRES Metric 6 and whether Hooper reforms for GMC referral by employers is being followed (e.g. Who is being referred to the GMC by the Employers and why?) to avoid perpetuation of the Snowy White Peaks phenomenon in the NHS.
Inspectors should be trained in asking the Right Questions during their Inspections in keeping with the organization’s Duty of Candor suggested by the Dalton-Williams Review March 2014. CQC should ensure a check on how the employer is dealing with staff who have raised a concern, and check enforcement by Non-Executive Directors and whether they are being held to account by the Health Services Ombudsman for any perceived failures.
Prof. Gallagher has agreed to do an official response.
CQC is collaborating at BAPIO Midyear conference on 25th June, Leicester. Prof. Field will be a guest speaker – ‘CQC – Challenges and opportunities’