Monkwearmouth Health Centre

Updated 9 July 2025

Date of Assessment: 9 December 2025 to 12 December 2025.

Monkwearmouth Health Centre is a GP practice and delivers service to 4,635 patients under a contract held with NHS England.

The National General Practice Profiles states that according to the latest available data, the ethnic makeup of the practice area is 95.23% White, 2.42% Asian, 1.09% Black, 0.81% Mixed and Other 0.45%. Information published by Office for Health Improvement and Disparities shows that deprivation within the practice population group is in the 4 decile (4 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 last comprehensive inspection of this service took place in December 2016, when it was rated as good overall and for all of the key questions safe, effective, caring, responsive and well led. We carried out this assessment on 9 and 12 December 2025 as a fully comprehensive inspection. The reason for the assessment was the length of time since the last inspection.

For this assessment the service maintained its overall rating of good.

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. Staff managed medicines well and involved people in planning any changes although, we found some issues were identified, involving patients who required additional monitoring, such as blood tests. Patients were being contacted however following a lack of response further action such as issuing shorter prescriptions for patients was not taken. There were enough staff with the right skills, qualifications and experience. Managers made sure staff received regular appraisals to maintain high-quality care however, we found some mandatory training was out of date. This was quickly corrected following the assessment.

Staff reviewed assessments taking account of people’s communication, personal and health needs. Care was 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 between services. Staff made sure people understood their care and treatment to enable them to give informed consent. Staff involved those important to people who took decisions in people’s best interests, where they did not have capacity. People were involved in assessments of their needs however we found some assessments were not completed in line with guidance.

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 highly 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 well 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.

Updated 9 July 2025

People were positive about the quality of their care and treatment. Recent survey results, including from the National GP Patient Survey and the NHS Friends and Family Test, showed people were highly satisfied with services. In the 3 months prior to the assessment, the NHS Friends and Family Test for the practice scored consistently 99% or above. In the months of September and November 2025, the results of good or very good were 100% with October 2025 slightly less at 99%. There were 191 responses in total for the 3 months with 169 rating the practice as Very good (88%), 21 patients rating the practice as good and 1 patient rating the practice as poor. In the National GP Patient Survey results for 2025, 84% of patients said their overall experience of this GP practice was either good or fairly good against the National average of 75%.

The commission received no complaints in the 12 months prior to our assessment.

We read numerous thank you cards and letters received by the practice, which were positive and thanked the staff for excellent person-centred care, professionalism and kindness.

Leaders from the aligned care home shared highly positive feedback on the quality of care and support provided by the practice staff for their residents. They highlighted the team’s collaborative approach, describing staff as working seamlessly within a cohesive multidisciplinary team to benefit patients and their families. They described staff as being accessible, professional, helpful and caring.

The practice had struggled to re convene a patient participation group (PPG) after the Covid 19 pandemic to gain views of people using the service. They were exploring alternatives to this alongside external groups, such as Healthwatch Sunderland and other practices within the primary care network. Changing the format from face-to-face meetings in the practice to remote digital meetings was also being explored to help the longevity of the group with consideration for a workable format once the National Neighbourhood Health Implementation Programme is rolled out in the area. This is an initiative which aims to deliver healthcare closer to homes through integrated neighbourhood teams, targeting areas with high levels of need and health inequalities.