Two urgent treatment centres at Queen’s and King George Hospitals have been rated ‘good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The centres serve patients across Barking and Dagenham, Havering, and Redbridge.
They are managed by the Partnership of East London Cooperatives (PELC) and were previously rated ‘requires improvement’.
The CQC’s latest inspection, conducted in June, noted improvements in patient care, safety, and leadership.
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Steve Rubery, chief executive of PELC, said: “We’re delighted our urgent treatment centres at Queen’s and King George hospitals have both had their ratings raised.
“It’s recognition of the significant progress we’ve made in improving the services we provide to local people.
“Running any urgent care service requires a huge team effort and we’re grateful for the ongoing support of our local partners.
“The improvements highlighted by the CQC are testament to the collaborative approach we’ve taken across the local health and care system.
“We’re continually working to improve what we do, and we’re now focused on achieving an ‘outstanding’ rating.
“Our priority is ensuring patients across Barking and Dagenham, Havering, and Redbridge have access to safe, high-quality urgent care services.”
The CQC rated the centres ‘good’ across all five key domains: safe, effective, caring, responsive, and well-led.
It marks a major turnaround from the centres being rated ‘inadequate’ – CQC’s lowest grading – in November 2022.
The Queen’s centre is open 24 hours a day and treats minor injuries and illnesses.
It also provides an initial assessment service to direct patients to the most appropriate care, and is co-located within the emergency department at Queen’s Hospital.
During its assessment in June 2025, the CQC found that the centre was now meeting and exceeding its target to treat and discharge patients within four hours—something it had previously failed to achieve.
The report noted improvements in staffing, clinical oversight, and patient referrals, and highlighted better governance and patient engagement.
An independent patient survey conducted in August 2024 found high levels of satisfaction.
Ninety-four per cent of patients said they had enough time to discuss their concerns, while 85pc understood the explanation of their condition and treatment.
Ninety per cent felt staff listened to them, and 82pc had confidence in the health professionals.
Overall, 55pc rated their experience as good.
PELC is a not-for-profit, member-based organisation that also operates urgent treatment centres at Barking Community Hospital and Harold Wood Polyclinic.
The organisation provides out-of-hours home visiting and outreach services for the homeless across east London and west Essex.
Formed in 2004, PELC’s members include GPs, health professionals, patient representatives, and staff from the communities it serves.
