GPs sound warning over culture of '˜boxing-ticking' bureaucracy

The doctors' union says patient care is being put at risk because of the 'endless box-ticking' GPs are forced to carry out by the health watchdog.
Picture: PAPicture: PA
Picture: PA

Services are being compromised because of the disproportionate amount of time doctors have to devote to preparing for Care Quality Commission inspections, according to the British Medical Association.

It follows a survey of 1,900 GP practices in England which found that 80 per cent had to reduce the time spent with patients in the run-up to inspections.

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Seven out of 10 had to pay staff overtime in order to prepare for inspectors’ visits, while 30 per cent claimed they had to employ locum staff. Almost 90 per cent said that they cut GP services available to patients on inspection days, with nearly seven out of 10 reporting a loss of nursing time.

Dr Chaand Nagpaul, chair of the BMA’s GP committee, said: “This survey demonstrates the damaging, negative impact that the CQC’s failing inspection programme is having on patient care in general practice.

“GPs are being forced to divert valuable time away from treating patients towards the endless box-ticking, paperwork and bureaucracy that is the hallmark of this programme.”

The CQC announced a new inspections regime in 2014, with all practices due to be inspected by April of this year.

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On the day of a visit staff have to give a 30-minute presentation before inspectors scrutinise all systems and question staff, from receptionists to GP partners and practice managers.

Practices are rated from outstanding to inadequate, with inadequate surgeries facing the prospect of being put into special measures and, ultimately, closure.

Leeds GP Richard Vautrey, whose surgery in Meanwood, Leeds, has yet to be inspected, said the system was an added burden on already stretched resources.

He said: “Even the process of registering with the CQC is hugely bureaucratic. It’s taking far too much time to jump through all the hoops.

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“Beyond that, there’s an inconsistency of approach between different parts of the health system and GPs find themselves having to respond to two or three different organisations, which adds even more work for surgeries which are already suffering from a lack of resources.”

The BMA is holding a special conference tomorrow in response to the pressures facing general practice. Delegates will hear that the current CQC inspection regime is not fit for purpose and needs wholesale reform.

A CQC spokeswoman said it made “no apology for acting in the best interests of patients”.

She added: “Not only do patients value our inspections, but GPs themselves have told us inspection has helped drive improvement. We’ve also found over three quarters of GP practices and out-of-hours services agreed their inspection provided a thorough review of whether they were safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led.

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“We’ve worked hard to ensure that the inspection of GP surgeries does not impact adversely on the practice being able to provide patient care by working with practice staff to design the agenda for that day. The feedback we’ve received indicates that surgeries already performing well do not find the preparation for inspection arduous, as the BMA suggests. Refusing to acknowledge problems and blaming those who expose concerns neither supports the profession or protects patients.”