- GP practice
Gardiner Crescent Surgery
Assessment report published 24 July 2025
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 19 May 2025 to 21 May 2025. Gardiner Crescent Surgery is a GP practice and delivers service to 4,171 patients under a contract held with NHS England. There is a branch surgery at Craghead Medical Centre, The Middles, Craghead, Stanley, DH9 6AN. The National General Practice Profiles states that 97.7% of the population is white, with 1.1% Asian, 0.2% Black, 0.7% mixed and 0.3% other. There is a higher population of older people (23.3%) compared to the England average of 17.7%. Information published by Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the 3 decile (3 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.
The service had a good learning culture and people could raise concerns. Managers investigated incidents thoroughly. People were protected and kept safe. Patients were not always having a timely comprehensive review of their condition and the medicines they were prescribed. The facilities and equipment met the needs of people, were clean and well-maintained and any risks mitigated. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. Managers made sure staff received training and regular appraisals to maintain high-quality care. The service did not always make sure that medicines and treatments were safe and met people’s needs, capacities and preferences. They did not always involve people in planning.
People were involved in assessments of their needs. Staff reviewed assessments taking account of people’s communication, personal and health needs. However, there were some gaps in the systems for review and monitoring of patients’ long-term conditions and medicines. Care was mostly based on latest evidence and good practice. Staff worked with all agencies involved in people’s care for the best outcomes and smooth transitions when moving services. Staff made sure people understood their care and treatment to enable them to give informed consent. Staff involved those important to people and took decisions in people’s best interests where they did not have capacity.
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 service supported staff wellbeing.
People were involved in decisions about their care. The service provided information people could understand. People knew how to give feedback and were confident the service took it seriously and acted on it. The service was easy to access and worked to eliminate discrimination. People received fair and equal care and treatment. The service worked to reduce health and care inequalities through training and feedback. People were involved in planning their care and understood options around choosing to withdraw or not receive care.
Leaders and staff had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. Leaders were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, helping staff develop in their roles. However, there were gaps in the systems for accountability and good governance. This meant the service was not always effectively monitoring and improving the quality and safety of the care provided.
Staff felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally, free from bullying or harassment. Managers worked with the local community to deliver the best possible care and were receptive to new ideas. There was a culture of continuous improvement with staff given time and resources to try new ideas.
We found breaches of regulation in relation to Safe Care and Treatment and Good Governance. We have asked the provider to respond to the concerns found at this assessment.
Since the last inspection, the practice had made improvements in some areas and is no longer in breach of Regulation 16 - receiving and acting upon complaints or Regulation 18– staffing.
People's experience of this service
People were positive about the quality of their care and treatment. Recent survey results, including from the National GP Patient Survey, showed people were satisfied with services. There was a small patient participation group (PPG) who represented the views of people using the service. However, there were low turnout for meetings, which impacted on the effectiveness of the group. However, representatives from the PPG described how managers made positive changes because of feedback, such as implementing improvements to the practice environment and streamlined processes for patient access.