Updated 1 May 2019
Bewick Crescent Surgery provides services to around 13,900 patients from two locations:
- 27 Bewick Crescent, Newton Aycliffe, Co Durham, DL5 5LH
- 30 West Green, Heighington, Co Durham, DL5 6PE.
We visited both locations as part of this inspection.
The provider is registered with CQC to deliver the following Regulated Activities: diagnostic and screening procedures; maternity and midwifery services; treatment of disease, disorder or injury; family planning; and surgical procedures.
Bewick Crescent Surgery is located in purpose-built premises. All patient services are based on the first floor. There is level access. There is a large car park with disabled parking spaces opposite the practice.
The branch surgery at Heighton has an on-site dispensary which dispenses to patients who live in rural locations. The building is a converted two-storey terraced house, toilets are on the first floor. Access is difficult for wheelchair users, who are encouraged to use the surgery at Bewick Crescent or request a home visit.
The practice has six GP partners, three male and three female and two female salaried GPs. three long term locums. There is one advanced nurse practitioner, three nurse practitioners and four practice nurses, four health care assistants and one phlebotomist. There is a practice and assistant practice manager and 18 staff who undertake administration duties and two dispensers.
The practice is a teaching and training practice and provides training to pharmacy students.
The practice provides late evening, weekend and bank holiday appointments. They are part of the local GP federation of GP practices who work together to provide appointments with GPs, nurses or health care assistants outside of their normal working hours. Patients can contact the practice reception team to arrange appointments. When this service is not provided patients requiring urgent medical care can contact the out of hours provided by the NHS 111 service.
The practice is part of NHS Durham Dales Easington and Sedgefield clinical commissioning group (CCG). The practice provides services based on a General Medical Services (GMS) contract agreement for general practice.
There is a higher-than-average number of patients over the age of 50, and fewer patients aged under 45 than the national average. Information published by Public Health England rates the level of deprivation within the practice population group as five on a scale of one to 10. Level one represents the highest levels of deprivation and level 10 the lowest. Male life expectancy is 78 years compared to the national average of 79 years. Female life expectancy is 82 years compared to the national average of 83 years.