By Sammie Jones-
A doctors’ surgery in Kingston has received a negative rating of inadequate for its safety, following an inspection that took place last October.
St. Albans Medical Centre in Richmond was told it “requires improvement” in relation to safety and its effectiveness and leadership in a report by a health watchdog.
The London surgery in Richmond Road was given the critical appraisal when it was visited by Care Quality Commission
inspectors on October 11.
Inspectors commented that “Patients were at risk of harm because systems and processes were not in place to keep them
safe.
“For example, appropriate recruitment checks on staff had not been undertaken prior to their employment, actions
identified to address concerns with infection control practice had not been taken, and medicines were not always
stored in accordance with legal requirements.”
The finding comes as a blow to St. Albans medical Centre which has developed good relations with a majority of
patients in the community. According to the report , ”a majority of patients were treated with compassion, dignity,
and respect, and also felt cared for , supported, and listened to”.The positive response from the patients
makes no difference to the enormous failing of the surgery, and failure to address concerns in relation to infection
control practice. These failings are serious and disturbing, seriously questioning the professionalism and credibility of
the surgery.
The report also stated that St. Albans Medical Centre had “clearly defined and embedded systems, processes and
practices in place to keep patients safe and safeguarded from abuse; however, not all staff had received safeguarding
training”.
Failing to provide safeguarded training to the staff shows a high level of incompetence and negligence by the surgery. As
medical professionals, they should know better and be obliged to deliver the essential task of their duty.
Every time professional organisations fail woefully to deliver expected standards, they bring their profession to
disrepute and and ruin any positive reputation they may already have built. Patients and customers are often
oblivious of the full requirements and standards expected of professional organisations.
They can quite easily be misled into believing they are receiving an adequate standard of service, even where the service delivered is actually inadequate.
Good manners and the building of good relationships with patients is positive, but highly insufficient when it comes to the delivery of high standards. General manager Milena Bodda told the eye of media.com that not enough credit has been given to the surgery for its strong points and that they acknowledge there is always room for improvement, which they will be working on.
St.Albans Medical Centre is probably not alone when it comes to the failures highlighted, though it is only a matter of
time before the inspectors catch up with any other failing surgeries. The report draws attention on the need for surgeries to publish on their websites, the steps they take to abide by health and safety standards.
Patients have the right to know how efficient their surgeries are. They should also be able to double check that surgeries take every measure necessary to safeguard their health and safety, and leave absolutely nothing to chance.