GP surgeries across Dorset are to face rigorous inspections after initial findings from a national report found that one in three is failing to meet basic standards.

The Care Quality Commission founds examples of poor standards in the handling of medicines and cleanliness, with maggots found at two surgeries.

In nine cases the failings were so serious that they could “potentially affect thousands of people” the CQC said.

Local GPs and health bosses were quick to welcome the new style inspections.

Mike Bewick, deputy medical director NHS England which covers Dorset said: “Patients expect high quality services and everyone should get access to primary care wherever they live in the country.”

Dr Forbes Watson, a practicing GP and chair of NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group said: “In common with everyone involved in healthcare, we want patients to have a positive experience. To that end we welcome inspections of practices across the country to ensure they meet the high standards people both expect and deserve; and we can continue to deliver this.”

The regulator aims to inspect all 8,000 practices over the following two years and give them one of four ratings – outstanding, good, requires improvement and inadequate.

The move will mark the first national independent inspection of practices – to date GPs have faced only local audits.

Professor Steve Field, the CQC’s new chief inspector of GPs, said it would herald the end of an era where poor care was tolerated in general practice.

One Bournemouth-based GP who wishes to remain anonymous said: “I went into medicine because it was a vocation – it wasn’t about the money. But now surgeries are being run as business practices by people who don’t know what it’s like to be on the frontline, so GPs have to cope with unrealistic time pressures and financial constraints.

“I often feel sorry for our patients because I don’t feel they are getting the service they need and deserve. I often end up running late because ten minutes just isn’t long enough when you are dealing with someone who has just been diagnosed with cancer or mental health issues.

“But I’m lucky because I work part-time, not as a partner running the business side of things, so I don’t have the same amount of paperwork to deal with as some of my colleagues.”