Wycombe surgeries not inspected for nearly 10 years
The CQC say they understand concerns about inspection frequency
Scores of GP surgeries in and around High Wycombe have gone years, and in some cases nearly a decade, without a Care Quality Commission inspection.
An investigation by the LDRS found a number of surgeries were last inspected between 2016 and 2017.
Among them is Tower House Surgery, last inspected in June 2016, Riverside Surgery, inspected in September 2016, and Stokenchurch Medical Centre, where inspectors last visited in May 2016.
Other surgeries including Kingswood Surgery, Carrington House Surgery, and Desborough & Hazlemere Surgeries have not undergone further inspections since 2017.
While many of the practices have undergone more recent “reviews”, patients say they are concerned some ratings may no longer reflect current patient experience, with some describing the current ratings as “ancient”.
The CQC says it carries out monthly reviews of information held about services to help inspection teams identify where risks may be greatest.
Practices considered low risk can receive an assurance statement without an inspection, while services flagged as higher risk may require further action or a visit from inspectors.
A spokesperson for the regulator said: “We understand the concerns raised about inspection frequency and aged ratings.
“Since accepting the recommendations in Dr Penny Dash’s review of CQC in 2024, we have made a clear commitment to increase the number of assessments we carry out and are now on track to meet assessment targets agreed with the Department of Health and Social Care.
“CQC currently prioritises inspections using a risk-based approach. This means striking a balance between responding to emerging risk, re-inspecting services with aged ratings, and first-time inspections for newly registered services.”
The watchdog says it launched a programme in March 2026 to assess GP practices rated “Good” or “Outstanding” that have not been inspected for some time.
The spokesperson added: “We would also like to reassure people that physical inspections are only part of CQC’s regulatory activity to determine the quality of care people are receiving.
“We continuously monitor GP practices using feedback from people using the services, from external partners such as local authorities and through direct engagement with the services themselves. If we have safety concerns, we act immediately, regardless of inspection timelines.”
Several surgeries highlighted in the investigation have only received periodic “reviews” since their inspections, with some involving no physical visit at all.
Highfield Surgery and Hughenden Valley Surgery both state on their CQC profiles that inspectors did not revisit the practices because providers were able to demonstrate they were meeting regulations without the need for a site visit.
The findings come amid wider scrutiny of the CQC following criticism of inspection backlogs and delays updating ratings across England.