The NHS regulator has abandoned its system of bandings for GP practices, after criticism from doctors’ representatives.
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) last year placed all 7,661 GP surgeries in England in bands from one to six under its “intelligent monitoring” system, with one indicating the greatest risk to patients.
One in six practices were placed in the bottom two categories, which under the CQC’s classifications meant they put patients either at “risk” or “elevated risk” through inadequate care, but GPs’ representatives criticised the classification as simplistic and misleading.
The scrapping of the bandings was announced in a letter from David Behan, the CQC chief executive, and Prof Steve Field, the chief inspector of general practice, published on the regulator’s website on Friday. It also included an apology.
The letter said: “CQC has listened to the concerns of the GP profession and as a result it has agreed not to continue with the use of bandings for GP Intelligent Monitoring, as well as changing the language used to highlight variation between practices so that it does not imply a risk to patient safety …
“What we published wasn’t right regarding the use of language around risk, and on the analysis of variation between practices. We apologise. We also acknowledge that bandings have been perceived as judgments about the quality of care. That was not our intent but today we confirm we are removing them for GP Intelligent Monitoring nonetheless.”
Shortly after the bandings were published in November last year, the CQC was forced to apologise after it wrongly labelled 60 GP practices as being at risk of offering patients a poor standard of care.
The Royal College of GPs (RCGP) hailed the CQC’s decision – taken after a meeting with GP leaders and experts in GP data and quality on Thursday – as a “victory for common sense”.
The RCGP’s chair, Dr Maureen Baker, said: “GPs across England will be very relieved and reassured by this decision. We are pleased that the CQC have acted on our concerns and agreed to abolish the banding system until a suitable alternative can be agreed by all relevant parties.
“CQC inspections were introduced to demonstrate that patients were receiving high quality care from their GP practice. But anomalies in the banding systems resulted in confusing patients and shaking the confidence of hard-working GPs across the country, at a time when they are already trying to deliver excellent care in very difficult circumstances.”
