Matthew Winn, Chief Executive, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust said:

“We accept the findings set out in the Care Quality Commission’s report following its inspection in November 2015.   It is pleasing that the CQC rated the service as ‘Good’ in relation to the provision of ‘caring’ services.   We are disappointed that the service has been rated ‘inadequate’ overall which means the service - not the overall Trust – will be placed in to special measures whilst it continues to implement an improvement programme. 

“We took immediate actions to respond to the concerns identified by the CQC relating to evidencing safe practice including:

• the introduction of new clinical protocols for nurse consultations undertaken via the telephone
• an audit to ensure that all personal files contain evidence of professional registrations
• re-establishing monthly clinical supervision for every employed nurse
• implementing a new system of routine audit and monitoring
• ensuring robust processes are in place to evidence and monitor GP mandatory training and appraisals

“Additional actions continue to be taken forward and the vast majority of these will be fully implemented by the end of February 2016. 

“We have every intention of ensuring the service achieves a ‘Good’ rating from the CQC at its re-inspection of the GP Out of Hours Service in six months.

“This service-specific rating does not change the Trust’s overall CQC rating of ‘Good’.”


For further information contact Karen Mason, Head of Communications, Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust on 07754 885331 or email Karen.mason@ccs.nhs.uk

Notes for editors

What does ‘being placed in special measures’ mean? 

Being placed in special measures means the Trust must improve the quality of care provided.  The CQC will inspect the service again in six months to consider whether sufficient improvements have been made.  If the CQC finds this is the case, the service will be removed from special measures.