The controversial system of inspecting practices is “driving improvements,” according to the man in charge.

More than 6,000 practices in England have now undergone inspection at the hands of the Care Quality Commission, leaving fewer than 2,000 to be inspected.

Out of these some 165 have been rated outstanding.

In the latest round of inspections 89 practices were classified as good and 14 as needing improvement. Three were outstanding and six inadequate.

The CQC says some 49 practices have now gone through special measures procedures and been judged to have improved. A small number have been closed because of the verdicts of inspectors.

GP chief inspector Professor Steve Field said: “What’s enormously encouraging is that our inspections are driving improvement – 90% of practices that we have re-inspected have improved since last October. Through their hard work and dedication, practices are making positive changes to the care they deliver.”

But he added: “There is still too much poor care. Since we began inspecting GP practices in October 2014 we have found over 100 practices to be inadequate.

“While this is a minority, this still amounts to over half a million patients in England who were not receiving the basic standards of care that they should be able to expect from their GP practice.”