Care Quality Commission
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Care Quality Commission sets out the parameters of its review of Take Care Now’s out-of-hours GP services

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) today outlines the scope of its review of the provision and commissioning of out-of-hours GP services run by Take Care Now.


The work was triggered by the tragic case of Mr David Gray, a patient who was treated by a locum doctor from Germany and died following the administration of 100mg of diamorphine.


The CQC will look at the service generally, focusing on current systems, including contractual and monitoring arrangements between primary care trusts (PCTs) and Take Care Now, as well as changes made after recent incidents.


It will also conduct a retrospective review of events to ensure that all appropriate factors have been identified, that lessons have been learnt and to establish whether further improvements are needed.


Specifically, the CQC will examine key elements of the Take Care Now service including: management of calls and the response to them; staffing arrangements; pharmacy arrangements and the supply of medicines; commissioning arrangements, particularly governance and quality checks in place for monitoring the contract; how PCTs identify and act upon patient safety incidents.


Christine Braithwaite, Head of Investigations and Enforcement at the CQC, said:


“We have clear reasons to review where patients have suffered harm, and will rigorously identify where things went wrong.


“We need to make sure that both Take Care Now and the PCTs that commission its services have identified the problems, learnt lessons from them and made robust improvements as a result.


“Our number one concern is the safety of patients, and we will be looking closely at the contributory factors to the care provided in specific cases, as well as thoroughly examining the current systems in place. If we find areas of concern that require immediate attention, we will not hesitate to use our powers to make sure the safety of patients is not compromised.”


As part of its work, the CQC will conduct telephone interviews with people who have used services provided by Take Care Now, and also current and former Take Care Now and PCT staff. People interested in talking to the CQC can email mark.tempest@cqc.org.uk or telephone 0207 448 9207 if they think that they might have relevant information to contribute.

The CQC will report on the findings of its work in due course.


The terms of reference for the review can be found at www.cqc.org.uk 



Notes to editors:


For further information please contact Emma Reynolds in the CQC press office on 0207 448 9040 or on 07917 232 143 after hours.


Several primary care trusts (PCTs) commission services from Take Care Now to supply doctors as general practitioners providing out-of-hours care. These include:


· NHS Suffolk

· NHS Worcestershire

· NHS Great Yarmouth & Waveney

· NHS Cambridgeshire

· NHS South West Essex (in partnership with East of England Ambulance Service)


The CQC will also look at the arrangements in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly PCT for their performers list and their responsibility as a holder of this list.



About the CQC

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the (new) independent regulator of all health and adult social care in England. We inspect all health and adult social care services in England, whether they're provided by the NHS, local authorities, private companies or voluntary organisations. And, we protect the interests of people detained under the Mental Health Act. We make sure that essential common standards of quality are met everywhere care is provided, from hospitals to private care homes, and we work towards their improvement. We promote the rights and interests of people who use services and we have a wide range of enforcement powers to take action on their behalf if services are unacceptably poor.
Our work brings together independent regulation of health, mental health and adult social care (for the first time). Before April 1st 2009, this work was carried out by the Healthcare Commission, the Mental Health Act Commission and the Commission for Social Care Inspection.
Our aim is to make sure better care is provided for everyone, whether that's in hospital, in care homes, in people's own homes, or anywhere else that care is provided.

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