Updated 28 August 2018
Dr M J Neville & Dr I G Waldin are registered with the Care Quality Commission to provide primary care services. The practice provides services to around 3,400 patients from one location; Main Road, Gainford, Darlington, Co Durham, DL2 3BE, we visited this location as part of this inspection.
The practice, which is known as Gainford Surgery, is located in purpose built premises which is all on the ground floor. There is a dedicated car park with disabled parking bays and step free access. The practice was able to offer dispensing services to those patients on the practice list who lived more than one mile (1.6km) from their nearest pharmacy.
The practice has two male GP partners and one female salaried GP, whole time equivalent (WTE) 2. At the time of the inspection the salaried GP was on maternity leave and a long-term locum GP was covering. The is one full-time practice nurse. There is a full-time practice and an assistant practice manager. There are four administration staff and two dispensers.
The practice opening times are 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday apart from a Wednesday when the practice closes at 1pm. Appointments are available on Monday and Wednesday from 8am to 10am, and on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 8.30am to 10.30am. Afternoons other than Wednesday appointments are available from 2pm to 5.40pm.
The practice provides late evening, weekend and bank holiday appointments; they are part of the local GP federation of GP practices who work together to provide appointments with GPs, nurses or health care assistants outside of their normal working hours. Patients can contact the practice reception team to arrange appointments. When this service is not provided patients requiring urgent medical care can contact the out-of-hours provided by the NHS 111 service.
The practice is part of NHS Durham Dales and Sedgefield clinical commission group (CCG). The practice provides services based on a General Medical Services (GMS) contract agreement for general practice.
Information from Public Health England places the area in which the practice is located in the ninth most deprived decile, where one is the most deprived. In general, people living in more deprived areas tend to have greater need for health services. Average male life expectancy at the practice is 80 years which is higher than the national average of 79. Average female life expectancy at the practice is 83 years which is the same as the national average.