A Bermondsey GP practice has been taken out of special measures after being rated as ‘good’ by the healthcare watchdog.
Bermondsey Spa Medical Practice has been rated ‘good’ across the board for being “effective, caring, responsive and well-led”.
The practice, in Old Jamaica Road, was previously rated as ‘requires improvement’ but was given a clean bill of health by the Care Quality Commission following an inspection in November 2016.
The practice was previously run solely by Dr Shabir Bhatti but is now run in partnership with Dr Bilal Bhatti, serving about 9,400 patients.
The CQC’s key findings included: patients said they were treated with compassion, dignity and respect; there was an open and transparent approach to safety; risks to patients were generally assessed and managed; and staff assessed patients’ needs and delivered care in line with current guidelines.
The inspection also noted that information about services and how to complain was available and easy to understand; the practice was well equipped to treat patients and meet their needs; and the practice proactively sought feedback from staff and patients.
However, inspectors said the practice must review its arrangements for responding to medical emergencies.
Areas where the practice should improve include: introducing formal procedures for checking equipment and medicine taken on home visits – and reviewing how to more easily identify carers to enhance how the practice can support them.
Professor Ursula Gallagher, CQC’s deputy chief inspector of general practice, said: “I am delighted to be able to remove this practice from special measures and award an overall rating of ‘good’.
“This is a testament to the hard work of the staff and recognises the significant improvements made to the quality of care provided.”
Councillor Anood Al-Samerai, leader of the Southwark Liberal Democrat Council Group: said: “The Liberal Democrats welcome the good news announced that the Bermondsey’s Spa Medical Practice has improved. However, as local councillors, we hear far too often about the difficulties which residents have in making GP appointments.”
A full report of the inspection has been published on the CQC website.
