A GP surgery judged to ‘require improvement’ amid safety fears has turned itself around to raise its rating to ‘good’.

Rutland House Surgery in Muswell Hill was given the second-lowest ‘requires improvement’ rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in July 2022 – with a follow-up inspection this summer over breaches of regulations.

The Colney Hatch Lane practice went from 7,000 to 11,500 patients after merging with the Queens Avenue Practice in 2021.

While it was rated ‘good’ for its care and responsiveness to people’s needs in the 2022 inspection, it received the second lowest rating for the effectiveness and leadership of services and the lowest - ‘inadequate’ - for its safety.

Inspectors found the practice did not monitor patients on high-risk medications appropriately and some with long-term conditions had not received blood tests and reviews on time.

The practice did not stock all the required emergency medication and was not monitoring the temperature of its vaccine fridge.

The CQC issued a warning notice, giving the practice three months to improve.

However, doctors used the rating to "turn around the situation". A follow-up visit in September 2022 found it had made necessary improvements.

And following a visit from inspectors from July 17 to 19 now has the second-highest ‘good’ rating in all areas.

Inspectors wrote: "At this inspection, we found the practice continued to make improvements and we were able to rate the practice good overall and for all key questions."

The report, published on September 11, said the practice "provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm".

Inspectors found patients with long-term conditions were now being monitored appropriately and staff involved them in decisions about their care.

The praised the way patients were treated with "kindness and respect" and could access care and treatment in a timely way.

"The way the practice was led and managed promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care," the report added.

Surgery partners Dr Priti Nayar and Dr Shosh Davis, said: "We are so pleased that despite very challenging circumstances, we have managed to turn around the situation and appreciate the hard work of the entire Rutland House Surgery team. 

"We endeavour to continue to deliver high quality health care to the community.”