Archived: Garden Park Surgery

Updated 10 January 2019

Garden Park Surgery provides care and treatment to around 7,400 patients. The practice is part of North Tyneside clinical commissioning group (CCG) and operates on a General Medical Services (GMS) contract agreement for general practice.

The practice provides services from the following addresses:

• 225 Denbigh Avenue, Howdon, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, NE28 0PP
• White Swan Surgery, White Swan Centre, Killingworth, Tyne and Wear, NE12 6SS

During the inspection we visited the main surgery in Howdon.

Both surgeries are located in purpose-built premises. All patient facilities are on the ground floor. There is a car park at each site, an accessible WC, wheelchair and step-free access.

Patients can book appointments in person, on-line or by telephone and could attend either site.

The service for patients requiring urgent medical attention out of hours is provided by the NHS 111 service and Vocare (known locally as Northern Doctors Urgent Care).

The practice has:

• two GP partners (both female),
• one salaried GP (male),
• one long-term locum GP (male)
• three practice nurses (all female),
• one healthcare assistant,
• a practice manager, and
• eight staff who carry out reception and administrative duties.

The age profile of the practice population is broadly in line with the local averages. Information taken from Public Health England placed the area in which the practice is located in the fourth more deprived decile. In general, people living in more deprived areas tend to have greater need for health services.

Updated 10 January 2019

This practice is rated as Good overall (previous ratings, April 2016 – Inadequate, December 2016 – Good).

The key questions at this inspection are rated as:

Are services safe? – Good

Are services effective? – Good

Are services caring? – Good

Are services responsive? – Good

Are services well-led? - Good

We carried out an announced comprehensive inspection at Garden Park Surgery on 28 November 2018 as part of our inspection programme.

At this inspection we found:

• The practice had clear systems to manage risk so that safety incidents were less likely to happen. When incidents did happen, the practice learned from them and improved their processes.
• The practice routinely reviewed the effectiveness and appropriateness of the care they provided and ensured that care and treatment was delivered according to evidence- based guidelines.
• Feedback from patients was wholly positive. Patients praised the practice for providing an excellent service. Doctors and nurses were named individually as going the extra mile and giving exceptional care. Patients said that receptionists went out of their way to be helpful.
• Patients found the appointment system easy to use and reported that they were able to access care when they needed it. The practice scored very highly on the National GP Patient Survey on questions relating to access.
• Staff told us they felt supported and engaged with managers. Staff and patients were involved in discussions and planning for the proposed merger with another local practice.
• There was a strong focus on continuous learning and improvement at all levels of the organisation.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP
Chief Inspector of General Practice

Please refer to the detailed report and the evidence tables for further information.

Updated 10 January 2019

Updated 10 January 2019

Updated 10 January 2019

Updated 10 January 2019

Updated 10 January 2019

Updated 10 January 2019