NHS Greater Manchester has has appointed a caretaker provider after Little Lever Health Centre 2 in Bolton was repeatedly found to be inadequate

13:46, 25 Jun 2026Updated 16:22, 25 Jun 2026

(Image: The CQC said that the Little Lever Health Centre 2 practice had breached ‘safe care’ legislation over a number of months)

A Bolton GP surgery’s contract has been terminated and a caretaker provider appointed after it was slammed as ‘inadequate’ by the health watchdog for a third time. Inspectors said some staff at the Little Lever Health Centre 2 believe a ‘blame culture’ existed at the practice.

Earlier this month, NHS Greater Manchester appointed Rochdale Health Alliance as caretaker provider at the practice after the Care Quality Commission (CQC) said the practice had breached ‘safe care’ legislation over a number of months.

NHS Greater Manchester said it had acted to terminate the contract following the damning inspections that it ‘recognised may be concerning for patients’.

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In a report published by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) within the past week, Little Lever Health Centre 2, previously run by Dr Thiruppathy Subramanian, was rated overall as being inadequate. The practice delivers primary medical care to approximately 2,862 patients in the town.

The CQC initially served a warning notice on Dr Thiruppathy Subramanian in December 2024 for failing to meet the regulations related to safe care and treatment, good governance and fit and proper persons employed at Little Lever Health Centre.

A further CQC assessment in March 2025 again rated the practice inadequate and highlighted specific issues that needed to be improved.

In an assessment report published on June 16 this year, it was again rated overall inadequate, remaining in special measures. Of the five categories rated after a follow-up inspection in April, the practice was rated inadequate on being safe and well-led.

Regarding being effective and responsive, the latest report found the surgery requires improvement. Inspectors said that feedback from patients during the assessment was positive, adding ‘but they told us there was often a delay in seeing the GP after their given appointment time’.

The surgery is one of two separate GP practices based in the Little Lever Health Centre – this month’s CQC inspection report was for Dr Subramanian’s practice only.

Under the category ‘well-led’, the report said: “The provider did not have a clear shared vision, strategy and culture. They did not understand the challenges and the needs of people and their communities.

“They did not have a formal improvement plan and instead had some dedicated administration sessions which they said they used to monitor improvements but did not note anything down. We spoke to several staff members during our assessment.

(Image: Rochdale Health Alliance has been appointed as caretaker provider at the surgery)

“We were told there was a blame culture and the provider did not take responsibility for any issues that had been identified at the practice.”

The report said that two previous assessments had highlighted specific issues that needed to be improved. The CQC said it had previously told the provider how they had breached the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and Regulated Activities Regulations 2014.

The assessment published this month found that the required improvements had not been made and the provider was still in breach of the same regulations.

Summarising the findings, the CQC said they would continue action ‘in line with our enforcement powers’.

The report said: “At this assessment we found the provider has failed to make required improvements and is still in breach of regulations in relation to safe care and treatment, good governance and fit and proper persons employed.”

A spokesperson for NHS Greater Manchester said: “We acknowledge the Care Quality Commission’s latest rating of Little Lever Health Centre-2 as inadequate and recognise that this may be concerning for patients. Our priority is to ensure patients continue to have access to safe, appropriate and good-quality GP services.

“Since the latest CQC inspection, we have appointed Rochdale Health Alliance as caretaker provider. Services continue to be available from the practice and patients should continue to contact the surgery in the usual way.

“Rochdale Health Alliance is now providing clinical leadership and working with NHS Greater Manchester and local partners to support staff and deliver the improvements required, until long-term arrangements are agreed. This is a well-established NHS approach to make sure there is no disruption to patient care.

“We will continue to monitor the practice closely and take any further action needed to ensure patients receive the standard of care they should expect.”