- GP practice
NPC North Tyneside – Spring Terrace
Assessment report published 3 September 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 06 July to 09 July 2026. NPC North Tyneside - Spring Terrace, is a GP practice and delivers service to approximately 21,400 under a contract held with NHS England. The practice operates across 4 sites: Spring Terrace Health Centre, Nelson Medical Group, Park Parade and 49 Marine Avenue. These sites were previously registered as separate GP practices and now operate as a single multi-site service within Northumbria Primary Care. The National General Practice Profiles states that the ethnic make-up of the practice area is 94.5% White, 1.5% Mixed, 2.7% Asian, 0.6% Other and 0.7% Black. Information published by the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the 6th decile (6 of 10). The lower the decile, the more deprived the practice population is relative to others. This assessment considered the demographics of the people using the service, the context the service was working within and how this impacted service delivery. Where relevant, further commentary is provided in the quality statements section of this report.
This was a comprehensive assessment undertaken following changes to the provider’s registration arrangements and to review areas of potential risk.
The provider fostered a positive learning culture, with staff confident to raise concerns and incidents investigated thoroughly. People were kept safe, and staff understood and managed risks effectively. Facilities were clean and generally met people's needs. However, we identified some opportunities to strengthen training compliance, competency oversight and medicines monitoring.
People received care and treatment based on current evidence and good practice. Staff worked collaboratively with other professionals to support positive outcomes and coordinated care effectively. People were involved in decisions about their care and treatment, and appropriate processes were followed when people lacked capacity to make decisions for themselves.
People were treated with kindness and compassion. Staff protected their privacy and dignity. They treated them as individuals and supported their preferences. People had choice in their care and treatment. The provider supported staff wellbeing.
People were involved in decisions about their care and treatment and received information in ways they could understand. The practice actively sought feedback and used this to help improve services. People received equitable care, and the practice worked to reduce health inequalities and improve outcomes for underserved communities through targeted engagement and population health initiatives.
Leaders and staff shared a culture based on listening, learning and trust. Staff felt supported, valued and able to raise concerns. Leaders worked collaboratively with patients, communities and partners to improve services and respond to local need. There was a strong focus on continuous learning, improvement and innovation, supported by quality improvement activity, workforce development and research. Governance arrangements were generally effective, although some areas of oversight required strengthening, including medicines management processes, mandatory training, safeguarding competencies and the formal documentation of competency reviews for non-medical prescribers.
People's experience of this service
Most people were positive about the quality of their care and treatment.
A review of 164 patient feedback cases we received identified largely positive experiences, with 85% of comments being positive. Patients frequently praised the quality of clinical care, compassionate staff, prompt action when serious conditions were suspected and access to urgent appointments. A small number of themes for improvement were identified, including access to routine appointments, continuity of care, communication, follow-up of referrals and support for patients who may experience barriers to accessing services.
According to the 2026 National GP Patient Survey (GPPS), 81% of patients who responded reported a good overall experience with the practice, above the national average of 77%. Additionally, 89% of those who responded said the healthcare professionals they saw or spoke with treated them with care and concern, which was above the national average of 86%.
Between January 2026 and May 2026, Friends and Family Test feedback remained consistently positive across the provider's 4 sites, with an average score of 95%. Scores ranged from 91% to 100%, indicating high levels of patient satisfaction with the services provided.
Feedback from a sample of care home representatives was generally positive. Staff reported that residents received safe and appropriate care. Clinicians were described as responsive, person-centred and supportive, particularly in relation to end-of-life care. Some care home staff highlighted occasional issues relating to communication, follow-up of requests and prescribing arrangements. Overall, care home representatives described positive working relationships with the practice and expressed confidence in the care provided to residents.
The provider had active Patient Participation Groups (PPGs), with joint meetings held across the 4 sites. Feedback from PPG members was generally positive. Members felt the practice listened to feedback and engaged constructively with the PPG. Examples of changes made following feedback included improving the visibility of the PPG within practice premises and on the practice website and making PPG meeting minutes available online. Members described positive relationships with practice leaders. Areas for improvement identified by PPG members included access to appointments, particularly the need to contact the practice at 8am to obtain an appointment, and the suitability of the premises at 49 Marine Avenue.