General practices will be inspected every two years, with 48 hours’ notice in normal circumstances

General practices in England will be given two days’ notice prior to undergoing scheduled inspections from the Care Quality Commission, the regulator has announced.

The commission has also recommended that practices be inspected once every two years, with each inspection looking at a “minimum of five outcomes” across key essential standards, which include cleanliness and infection control; drug management; safety, availability, and suitability of equipment; and quality of service provision.

The policies are outlined in the commission’s …