Nearly 1 in 5 Islington surgeries of ‘high concern’ to watchdog

Nearly a fifth of doctors’ surgeries in Islington are of ‘high concern’, according to a new report.

A survey by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) reveals that seven out of the borough’s 38 GP practices are at either the highest or second highest risk of providing poor care.

The watchdog said the register did not necessarily indicate poor GP surgery performance, but they will use it to target inspections.

Four of the borough’s surgeries – Dr William Nubi’s, in Stroud Green Road, Stroud Green; the New North Road Health Centre, in New North Road, Islington; the Highbury Grange Medical Practice, in Highbury Grange, Highbury and the Islington Central Medical Centre, in Islington, were put in Band one - of highest concern to the CQC.

Risks identified include a potential lack of cervical screening, diabetes checks, patient satisfaction, and less reported heart disease than would be expected.

Three further surgeries, the Goodinge Health Centre, in North Road, Holloway; the Miller Practice, in Highbury New park , Highbury and the Roman Way Medical Centre, on Roman way, Holloway, were rated band two, of the second highest concern.

Cllr Martin Klute, chair of Islington Council’s health scrutiny committee who recently published a series of ways to improve patient access in the borough, said: “This is partially related to the work the committee did, but not completely.

“We had to focus very firmly on the appointment system or we would end up setting the whole world to rights.

“One thing we have found doing the report is that it’s very hard to make direct correlations between statistics and what is happening on the ground.

See the CQC’s full interactive map of surgeries here.