Editorial Policy

How GP Land verifies healthcare providers and maintains medical content standards

Our Commitment to Quality & Safety

GP Land is committed to providing patients with accurate, trustworthy information about private GP services in England. Every practice listing on our platform is independently verified against official regulatory records to ensure quality, safety, and compliance with healthcare standards.

This editorial policy describes how we source, verify, and maintain practice listings in accordance with Google's medical content guidelines and UK healthcare regulations.

1. CQC Registration Verification

What is the CQC?

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is England's independent regulator of health and adult social care services. All private GP practices in England must be registered with the CQC to operate legally. The CQC sets and monitors standards against five key areas: Safety, Effectiveness, Caring, Responsiveness, and Well-led.

Our Verification Process

Every practice listed on GP Land has been verified against the official CQC register at cqc.org.uk. We confirm:

  • ✓ Active Registration: The practice has current, valid CQC registration
  • ✓ Practice Name & Location: Matches official CQC records
  • ✓ ✓ CQC Rating: Overall rating (Outstanding, Good, Requires improvement, or Inadequate)
  • ✓ Key Contact Details: Phone number, address, and postcode verified

2. CQC Ratings Explained

The CQC assigns an overall rating to each regulated service based on comprehensive inspections. All practices on GP Land display their current CQC rating prominently to help patients make informed decisions.

Outstanding

The practice exceeds CQC standards. Patients can expect excellent care quality, safety, and management across all areas.

Good

The practice meets CQC standards. Care is safe, effective, and patients are treated with respect.

Requires Improvement

The practice does not meet CQC standards. The CQC requires improvements and plans follow-up inspections.

Inadequate

The practice is in serious breach of CQC standards. Urgent action is required. GP Land does not list practices with this rating.

3. Data Sources & Accuracy

Primary Sources

  • • CQC Register: Official list of all regulated private GP practices with current ratings
  • • CQC Inspection Reports: Detailed assessments used to determine practice ratings
  • • NHS Directory: Contact details and service information verified against official NHS records
  • • Practice Websites: Information cross-referenced with official practice sources

Data Accuracy & Updates

We update practice listings regularly as new CQC ratings and inspection reports become available. When a practice's rating changes, we update our records immediately. Patients can contact us if they notice outdated or inaccurate information.

4. Google Medical Content Guidelines Compliance

GP Land adheres to Google's medical content guidelines, which require YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) health sites to demonstrate:

Expertise (E)

GP Land listings are based exclusively on official CQC verification. The CQC has regulatory expertise in healthcare standards, and all practices are assessed by healthcare quality specialists.

Authoritativeness (A)

We cite authoritative sources: the CQC (independent healthcare regulator), NHS records, and practices' own verified information. We do not publish medical advice or treatment recommendations.

Trustworthiness (T)

Every practice listing displays its official CQC rating prominently. We are transparent about our vetting process and clearly indicate which practices meet regulatory standards.

5. Editorial Standards & Limitations

What We Verify

  • ✓ CQC registration and rating
  • ✓ Practice name, location, and contact details
  • ✓ Specialties and services listed
  • ✓ Opening hours and appointment availability

What We Don't Provide

  • ✗ Medical diagnosis or treatment advice
  • ✗ Personal health information or medical records
  • ✗ Comparison reviews or quality ratings beyond CQC assessments
  • ✗ Patient testimonials or reviews (these are subjective and not verified)

6. Listing Removal & Suspension Policy

We immediately remove or suspend practice listings when:

  • • CQC registration is suspended, cancelled, or rating drops to "Inadequate"
  • • A practice closes permanently
  • • Official regulatory action is taken against a practice
  • • Contact details are no longer valid or we cannot verify current operation

We monitor CQC updates regularly and remove listings within 24-48 hours of a significant regulatory change.

7. Reporting Inaccuracies

If you believe a practice listing contains inaccurate information or should be removed, please contact us immediately at admin@gpland.co.uk.

We review all reports within 48 hours and verify claims against official CQC records. We will update or remove listings if inaccuracies are confirmed.

Doctors and practice managers can also contact us via our contact form to request corrections or claim their practice listing.

This editorial policy was last updated on March 2026