GP practice rated 'good' in CQC inspection

Modality Partnership runs a number of GP practices in Sussex including Crawley Down Health Centre

The rating of a West Sussex GP has been upgraded from 'inadequate' to 'good' by inspectors.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) raised the rating for Modality Mid-Sussex (MMS), run by the Modality Partnership, after it made a series of changes, including improving patients' access to appointments.

The CQC said staff should be "proud" and found the practice had "made significant progress" but said "further improvements were still needed" and it would continue to monitor the service.

MMS executive partner Dr Ellie Flatman said the practice "worked tirelessly to improve care and access for patients" and remained "focused on further improving".

MMS serves around 30,000 patients across four practices in East Grinstead, Crawley Down and Burgess Hill.

MMS had been rated as inadequate in a CQC report published in September 2023, with inspectors raising concerns that a limited access to appointments was affecting the quality of care .

A public meeting was held in March after local residents raised concerns about the worsening issues with getting a doctors appointment.

Following updated inspections between February and April 2025, the CQC said the practice had "addressed most of the concerns raised".

Serena Coleman, CQC director of operations for Sussex, said: "The practice made changes to enhance access to the service, including introducing a digital triage system and increasing staff and appointment availability.

"They were also managing medicines more effectively... and listened and responded to concerns, working closely with the patient participation group to improve the advice and support given when people called."

Inspectors also noted the health care provider had "strengthened its management of infection prevention and control" measures, and had improved health and safety and fire risk management plans.

It added that "further work was needed to improve the timeliness and quality of medication reviews" and some other systems, like recruitment checks, "still lacked proper oversight".

Dr Flatman said the upgraded rating "highlights the commitment and hard work of our entire team over the last two and a half years.

"We have worked tirelessly to improve care and access for patients and this had been reflected in the report.

"We're proud of what has been achieved and remain focussed on further improving the care we offer our patients."