An Oldham GP surgery which was given a damning report last year by the health watchdog has seen a turnaround after a re-inspection.

Royton Medical Centre, based at Chapel Street practice, was told it must improve after a scathing report published in November 2022 criticised leadership as ‘inadequate’ – the worst possible rating.

Inspectors from the Care Quality Commission at the time gave the practice an overall rating of ‘requires improvement’ and issued a warning notice.

Royton Medical Centre is co-run by Dr Tariq Mahmood Chauhan and Mayor of Oldham Dr Zahid Mehmood Chauhan.

The original report found practice nurses were not ‘appropriately authorised’ to administer medicines, and emergency medicines were not adequately checked.

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Policies related to complaints and background checks were also not being followed properly in all cases.

At the time, patients said they were ‘not surprised’ and that the surgery ‘definitely does require improvement’.

An update issued in January found that the practice was making improvements, but did not issue a new rating.

Now, in a new report published on Friday, June 2, inspectors have re-classified the practice as ‘good’ in all areas.

Inspector Dr Sean O’Kelly listed findings in the report, saying the practice provided care in a way that kept patients safe and protected them from avoidable harm and patients received effective care and treatment that met their needs.

In addition the report said that staff dealt with patients with kindness and respect, patients could access care in a timely way, and the practice leadership ‘promoted the delivery of high-quality, person-centred care’.

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The inspector said the practice should work towards improving the uptake of cervical screening and told it to take action to improve all below-average areas of the GP Patient Survey.

The practice was found to see 71.3 per cent of those eligible for screening by the CQC, below the England target of 80 per cent.

In a statement, the Royton Medical Centre practice team said: “We express our gratitude to the dedicated staff, PPG, and patients for their support, and we take great joy in the acknowledgment of our diligent efforts.

“Being a learning organisation, we remain committed to constant improvement and will persist in our endeavours.”