A GP surgery in Chadwell Heath has been praised for its "strong learning culture" and "person-centred care" in its first inspection from the health watchdog.
Ashton Gardens Surgery has been rated 'good' in all areas - safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led - following an inspection from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in November 2025.
This was the first inspection of the practice at Chadwell Heath Health Centre, formerly known as Dr Aarron Patel, since it registered with the CQC under its new name in 2022.
An inspection report published on March 19 reveals that the GP was found to have a "proactive and positive culture of safety, based on openness and honesty".
Inspectors noted that there were processes in place for staff to report incidents or safety events, underpinned by a "strong learning culture" which allowed staff to feel comfortable raising concerns.
The report said: "The service had a good learning culture and people could raise concerns.
"Managers investigated incidents thoroughly.
"The facilities met the needs of people, were clean and well-maintained and any risks mitigated
"Managers made sure staff received training and regular appraisals to maintain high-quality care."
Inspectors also found that patients were always treated with "kindness, empathy and compassion" in an environment where staff are encouraged to "always deliver person-centred care".
However, during its visit the CQC saw that some clinical accessories available in clinical rooms were expired, while leaders did not always carry out Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) checks on staff before employment.
Ashton Gardens Surgery, which looks after around 5,000 patients, said it is already addressing the areas identified for improvement in the report.
A spokesperson told this paper: "We are delighted that Ashton Gardens Surgery has achieved a 'good' rating from the CQC.
"This is a fantastic outcome and a true reflection of the hard work and dedication of our staff and the management team.
"We are pleased that this is reflected in patient feedback, with strong results in the National GP Patient Survey and the NHS Friends and Family Test.
"We recognise there are always areas where we can do better and are already taking steps to address the small number of areas identified for improvement in the report."
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