In this monthly report, FPM looks in detail at what the CQC have publicly reported from their GP practice inspections during May 2026, all anonymised. We highlight some of the behaviours that won practices Outstanding ratings, and the reasons some practices were scored Requires Improvement, or Inadequate. Do you recognise any of the observations the CQC picked up, either good or bad?

Recent employment law changes in 2026 have expanded a number of ‘day-one’ rights, giving employees access to certain statutory protections from the start of employment. These changes mark a clear shift towards increased protection for employees from the very start of their employment, removing many of the traditional qualifying periods employers have relied on. Here we explain day-one employment rights and the implications for practices. 

An experience in my own family has underlined the growing risks in outsourced clinical pathways and the importance of primary care recognising the warning signs.

The Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag (RADF) is a new NHS information standard designed to improve how healthcare providers identify, record and share patient reasonable adjustments. From 30 September 2026, NHS and publicly funded health and social care providers must demonstrate compliance with the Reasonable Adjustment Digital Flag standard.

General practice in England has entered one of its most turbulent periods in over a decade. Recently, two major developments have reshaped the national conversation.

When the Physician Associate (PA) crisis erupted across the NHS in late 2024, public debate quickly turned towards GP surgeries. Critics suggested that practices had acted unfairly, dismissed PAs without due process, or panicked in response to professional pressure. But as more evidence emerges — including legal action, union statements, and the government commissioned Leng Review (July 2025) — a clearer picture is forming.