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CQC confirms decision to close two GP practices

Exclusive: The Care Quality Commission has decided to refuse registration for two practices, which look set to close on 1 April, Pulse has learnt

The commission issued closure notices to the practices in January to inform them they proposed to refuse their registration. The practices failed to submit an appeal against the closure notices within 28 days so the CQC has decided not to register them, meaning they will have to close on 1 April.

However, they do have a further 28 days to submit an appeal against the decision by the CQC.

The CQC would not provide details about the practices or why there were concerns about their registration. It did confirm that the closure notices were submitted because the practices failed to respond to correspondence from the regulator.

The Health and Social Care Act, which comes into effect on 1 April, gives the CQC the power to close practices it has concerns over.

A CQC spokesman said: ‘The 28 day window for the two GP providers to challenge the “notices of proposal to refuse registration” issued in January by the Care Quality Commission, has now lapsed.

‘The Commission has now issued both of them with “notices of decision to refuse registration”, and they now have a further 28 days to appeal to the independent tribunal before the decision becomes final. The CQC has ensured that the local PCTs are informed of the actions it has taken so that the PCT are able to respond to the needs of patients.’

 

Pulse Live: 30 April - 1 May, Birmingham

Dr Tony Stanton, Dr Gillian Schilling and Jean Hassell, partners, Performance Quality Partnership will be holding a workshop on CQC and primary care at Pulse Live, Pulse’s new two-day annual conference for GPs, practice managers and primary care managers.

Pulse Live offers practical advice on key clinical and practice business topics, as well as an opportunity to debate the future of the profession, and a top range of speakers includes NICE chair designate Professor David Haslam, GPC deputy chair Dr Richard Vautrey and the Rt Hon Stephen Dorrell MP, chair of the House of Commons health committee.

To find out more and book your place, please click here.