The Care Quality Commission (CQC), has upgraded the rating of Sutton Road Surgery in Erdington, Birmingham from inadequate to good following an inspection in November and December.
Sutton Road Surgery, run by Dr Mehboob Bhatti, provides general practice and primary care services to 2,770 people.
CQC carried out the inspection to follow up on breaches of regulation in safe care and treatment and good management identified at the previous inspection. Following that inspection, CQC rated the practice inadequate overall and placed it into special measures.
Inspectors found the practice was no longer in breach of regulations and CQC has removed it from special measures.
CQC has also upgraded the ratings for how safe, effective and well-led the service is from inadequate to good. How caring and responsive the service is, have again been rated good.
Andy Brand, CQC deputy director of primary and community care in the midlands, said:
“During our inspection, leaders at Sutton Road Surgery demonstrated how they’d made the necessary improvements to the service, which now provided safe and effective care under strong leadership.
“Our inspectors found staff involved people in assessing their needs and considered what was important and mattered to them. They based care on the latest evidence and best practice information available, and worked hard to make sure people understood their care and treatment and had choices.
“It was encouraging to see leaders ensured there were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. They made sure staff received regular training and appraisals to support them and maintain a high level of care. The practice’s leadership team was visible, knowledgeable and approachable, and was committed to helping staff develop in their roles.
“We found many improvements had been made since our last inspection. Leaders now had a better understanding of significant incidents and events and encouraged staff to raise concerns to help identify learning opportunities. The practice also managed test results more effectively, with a GP reviewing results before staff inputted them into records and tasked relevant staff with any necessary follow-up action.
“It was clear that leaders and staff at Sutton Road Surgery considered any additional needs people had. The practice had a room that autistic people and people with a learning disability could use as a quiet waiting area. Staff also tried to book appointments for them at quieter times of day to provide a more comfortable environment.
“Leaders and staff at Sutton Road Surgery should be pleased with the improvements we found and the many positive findings in our report. We look forward to seeing their progress and the many benefits this will have for the people they support.”
Inspectors found:
- Staff supported people to make choices about their care which carefully balanced risks of harm with positive choices about their lives. Staff also managed people’s medicines well and involved them in planning any changes.
- People found it easy to access appointments and support when they needed help.
- Staff worked closely with partner organisations to provide consistent care and smooth transitions when people moved between services.
- Although leaders had recruited many new staff since the previous inspection, they had managed to create a cohesive team while fostering a positive and supportive workplace culture.
- Staff treated people with kindness and compassion, respecting their privacy and dignity.
- Leaders had plans in place to increase capacity at the practice in line with the growth in people registered, which had increased by 45% between 2023 and 2025.
However:
- Inspectors identified some concerns about the availability of emergency medical equipment and accessibility of the premises, but leaders responded immediately and had put in place plans to address longer-term issues.
- The practice had more work to do to meet national targets for cervical screening.