- GP practice
Gardiner Crescent Surgery
Assessment report published 22 June 2026
Contents
Ratings
Our view of the service
Date of Assessment: 8 May 2026 to 15 May 2026. Gardiner Crescent Surgery is a GP practice and delivers service to about 4,100 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. Staff understood and managed risks. 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. Staff managed medicines well and involved people in planning any changes.
Leaders and staff had a shared vision and culture based on listening, learning and trust. There was now an embedded leadership team who were actively focused on leading the team to achieve the shared vision. Leaders were visible, knowledgeable and supportive, helping staff develop in their roles. Staff felt supported to give feedback and were treated equally, free from bullying or harassment. Staff understood their roles and responsibilities. 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.
Since the last inspection, the practice had made improvements and is no longer in breach of regulations relating to Good Governance and Safe Care and Treatment.
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, due to low numbers of members, meetings had not been held recently. The practice planned to take steps to reinvigorate the group to ensure it was more representative of the patient population.