NPC North Tyneside – Spring Terrace

On this page

• Overview
• Shared direction and culture
• Capable, compassionate and inclusive leaders
• Freedom to speak up
• Workforce equality, diversity and inclusion
• Governance, management and sustainability
• Partnerships and communities
• Learning, improvement and innovation

We looked for evidence that service leadership, management and governance assured high-quality, person-centred care; supported learning and innovation; and promoted an open, fair culture.

At our last assessment, we rated this key question as good. At this assessment, the rating remains the same.

This service scored 82 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The provider had a shared vision, strategy and culture based on transparency, equity, equality and human rights. It promoted diversity and inclusion, engagement, and an understanding of the challenges and needs of people and their communities.

Leaders used population health data, community engagement and partnership working to understand local needs and inform service development. This included targeted work to address health inequalities and improve access and experience for underserved communities.

The provider's strategic plans also recognised the importance of workforce, organisational and environmental sustainability.

Staff told us there was a clear vision for the future and understood the organisation's priorities and direction.

The provider had inclusive leaders at all levels who understood the context in which they delivered care and embodied the culture and values of the organisation. Leaders had the skills, knowledge, experience and credibility to lead effectively and did so with integrity, openness and honesty.

Staff told us leaders were approachable, supportive and responsive to concerns. They felt able to raise issues and were confident their views would be listened to and considered. Many staff described a positive and compassionate leadership culture, with leaders regularly checking on staff wellbeing and providing support during periods of illness, absence and personal difficulties.

Staff gave examples of being supported through flexible working arrangements, phased returns to work, mentoring opportunities and access to training and development. They told us leaders encouraged professional growth and supported them to develop new skills and take on additional responsibilities.

Staff also highlighted regular opportunities to communicate with leaders through team meetings, daily huddles, wellbeing surveys and supervision sessions. They told us these arrangements promoted open communication, enabled feedback to be shared and helped them feel supported, valued and involved in the development of the service.

The provider fostered a positive culture where people felt they could speak up and their voice would be heard.

The practice had established Freedom to Speak Up arrangements, and staff told us they knew how to raise concerns if needed. Most staff who responded to the feedback questionnaire confirmed that they understood what whistleblowing was and how to report concerns.

The provider valued diversity within its workforce and worked towards an inclusive and fair culture by promoting equality and equity for staff.

Policies and procedures to support equality, diversity and inclusion were in place, and leaders took steps to understand and respond to individual staff circumstances where appropriate. Examples of adjustments included flexible working arrangements, individual risk assessments and measures to support staff health and wellbeing. For example, the practice implemented workplace adjustments and emergency arrangements to support a member of staff, helping to ensure their safety at work.

Leaders demonstrated an awareness of how external events could affect staff from different backgrounds. During a period of public disorder in 2024, 2 members of staff from ethnic minority backgrounds raised concerns about their safety when travelling to and from work. The practice discussed these concerns with the staff members, completed individual risk assessments and implemented reasonable adjustments, including allowing them to leave work earlier to avoid travelling at times when they felt most at risk. This demonstrated a proactive approach to supporting staff wellbeing and promoting an inclusive working environment.

The provider had governance arrangements in place, although some areas required strengthening. A small number of issues were identified during the assessment, including medicine management, oversight of mandatory training, safeguarding competencies, as well as the documentation of competency assessments for non-medical prescribers. Leaders acknowledged these areas and took action to address them.

Despite these findings, the practice had clear roles, responsibilities and systems of accountability that supported the delivery of good-quality and sustainable care. Leaders used governance processes to review performance, manage risks and share information securely when appropriate.

Staff told us leaders and managers were approachable and supportive, and all staff we spoke with understood their roles and responsibilities. Regular appraisals were carried out, and staff had access to relevant policies and procedures.

Practice meetings were held regularly to discuss clinical concerns, quality issues and emerging risks. Actions were recorded and shared with teams, supporting continuous learning and improvement. Staff took confidentiality and information governance seriously, and appropriate systems were in place to protect patient information.

Leaders demonstrated a commitment to quality improvement through the use of audits and quality improvement projects. These included initiatives relating to frailty, end-of-life care and health inequalities, which were used to monitor performance, identify areas for development and improve outcomes for patients.

The provider had a business continuity plan in place which outlined escalation arrangements, emergency preparedness processes and service continuity measures. Clear escalation routes were in place to support the management of incidents and service disruption. The plan also included arrangements for workforce pressures, cross-site support and communication with patients and stakeholders.

The provider understood its duty to collaborate and work in partnership to ensure services worked seamlessly for people. Staff and leaders worked closely with healthcare, voluntary and community sector partners to support joined-up care, service development and improved outcomes for local people.

The practice adapted its services to meet the needs of the local population and used community engagement, population health data and partnership working to identify and address inequalities. This included the development of a targeted health inequalities workstream for its Bangladeshi population and engagement with ethnic minority communities to better understand barriers to accessing healthcare and inform service improvements.

The practice worked collaboratively with care homes, community services and wider health and social care partners to support people with complex health needs, including those approaching the end of life. Information was shared appropriately to support coordinated care and continuity of support.

Leaders also worked collaboratively across the wider health and care system to improve access and outcomes. This included supporting the development of a Primary Care Network Ear Care Microsuction Service, which reduced waiting times and demand on secondary care services. The practice actively participated in regional and national research programmes and was invited to contribute to an independent evaluation led by Newcastle University in recognition of its contribution to the Work Well programme. As a teaching practice, it also supported the development of the future primary care workforce through student nurse placements and GP training opportunities

Staff also worked in partnership with local charities, voluntary organisations and community groups to support the wider wellbeing of its population. This included supporting local foodbank initiatives, Cash for Kids fundraising activities and plans to work with local community and faith organisations to improve health awareness, increase access to services and reduce health inequalities.

Leaders used feedback from patients, partners and local communities to inform service development and ensure services reflected local needs.

The practice demonstrated a strong culture of continuous learning, improvement and innovation. Leaders used quality improvement activity, workforce development, research participation, patient feedback and population health intelligence to identify opportunities for improvement, respond to local need and evaluate impact.

The practice supported the development and ongoing improvement of a Primary Care Network (PCN) Ear Care Microsuction Service in response to long waits for secondary care ear services and barriers to accessing care locally. The clinic had been operating across the PCN for approximately 18 months at the time of assessment. Since implementation, 176 patients had accessed the service, waiting times reduced from 3 to 4 months to 4 to 6 weeks, 80 to 90% of patients were successfully treated in a single appointment and only 3 to 5% required onward ENT referral. The service reduced demand on GP and secondary care services, generated an estimated annual environmental saving of 3,263 travel miles and 0.9 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

Leaders continued to invest in services beyond contractual requirements where these were considered beneficial to patients. This included a specialist menopause service which remained in place following the end of dedicated PCN funding. Since July 2025, 342 patients had accessed the service across 39 clinics. Patient feedback consistently highlighted that women felt listened to, supported and involved in decisions about their care.

The provider invested in workforce development and sustainability through its ‘Promoting the Role of the Practice Nurse’ quality improvement project. Since implementation, 20 student nurses had completed placements across the organisation, including approximately 8 within North Tyneside, and 2 subsequently secured permanent nursing posts. As a teaching practice, the provider demonstrated a strong commitment to developing the future primary care workforce through the provision of high-quality clinical placements, supervision and mentorship opportunities for student nurses and GP trainees. The practice also expanded GP training capacity from 2 training posts within 1 practice to 6 across 4 sites, supported by an increase in trainers from 1 to 4.

The GP Surviving to Thriving programme was introduced to improve GP wellbeing, workload management and workforce sustainability. Developed through GP surveys, workshops and discussion sessions, it included protected time for indirect patient care activities and the sharing of effective ways of working. Feedback was used to evaluate impact and inform ongoing development.

The practice used quality improvement methods to identify and address variation in how Type 2 diabetes was diagnosed. An initial review identified 13 patients who required further follow-up to confirm whether they had diabetes. Following a review of records and clinical processes, the practice introduced a standardised diagnostic pathway and shared learning through multidisciplinary team meetings and daily huddles. A follow-up review 2 months later found only 1 patient still awaiting confirmation, and ongoing monitoring was introduced to help sustain improvements.

The practice actively participated in research and innovation programmes, including studies relating to cardiovascular disease, dementia, respiratory disease and palliative care. Patients were identified, invited and recruited to a broad range of regional and national research studies, supporting the development of future treatments and evidence-based practice. Through its Social Prescribing team, 12 patients were referred to the Work Well programme, with all 3 patients who engaged receiving support to return to employment. The practice was recognised as one of the highest referring practices within its locality and was invited to contribute to an independent evaluation led by Newcastle University.

Overall, leaders fostered a culture in which innovation, research and quality improvement were integral to service delivery, contributing to improvements in access, workforce development and patient experience.