Consett Medical Centre

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

We looked for evidence that the service met people’s needs, and that staff treated people equally and without discrimination.

At our last assessment, we rated this key question as requires improvement. At this assessment, the rating has changed to good.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The service made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs.

The practice told us they prioritised person-centred care by utilising Care Coordinators and social prescribing link workers (SPLWs) to support patients as individuals. Clinical system reports were used to help identify patients who may need additional healthcare services.

The practice employed an Advanced Nurse Practitioner (ANP) dedicated to working with aligned care homes. Leaders from one of these care homes provided positive feedback on the standard of care delivered by Consett Medical Centre to their residents.

Data from the 2024 National GP Patient survey showed that 77.8% of people felt that they were involved as much as they wanted to be in decisions about their care and treatment which was lower than national average. However, in January 2025, 484 people completed the friends and family test survey. Of those 484 people, 449 (92.7%) would recommend the GP practice to friends and family.

The social prescriber hosted a "Tea & Talk" coffee morning at the practice, to support patients experiencing loneliness. Additionally, In November 2024, staff from Consett Medical Centre took part in a local 5K Park Run to connect with the community through a fun and healthy activity.

The service understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity.

Positive relationships were held with aligned care homes

The PPG told us they had a positive experience with how the practice worked with them to improve the quality of care and service for patients.

The practice identified an increase in the diabetic population through data analysis, and established initiatives such as Stamp It Out, Hypoglycaemia Awareness Groups, and Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP1) medication Switch Groups to support and educate patients.

The service supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs.

The practice had access to interpreter services and documents could be provided in languages other than English.

The practice communicated through social media, its website, newsletters, the PPG, leaflets, and noticeboards.

Additionally, the Practice Manager was working with the Primary Care Network on a community support initiative that assisted those in need. The initiative aimed to encourage donations and raise awareness of available services, such as women’s shelters, in the community.

The service made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. They involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

We saw complaints were managed in line with the practice’s policy. When appropriate, lessons learned from complaints were shared with the team, and staff could identify changes implemented in response to patient feedback.

The PPG told us that they felt included in discussions, and that their feedback was listened to by practice leadership.

Practice leaders had reviewed data collected in the NHS England GP Patient Survey 2024 and had created an action plan to address the concerns highlighted within the feedback.

According to the NHS England GP Patient Survey 2024, 86.6% of patients who responded felt that they were listened to by the healthcare professional at their last appointment.

The practice actively sought and responded to patient feedback through the Friends and Family Test (FFT). All feedback was recorded and acted upon whenever possible. For example, in June 2024, patients reported that the waiting room seats were too low and lacked armrests, making them difficult to use for those with poor mobility. In response, the practice purchased new chairs with armrests to improve patient comfort and accessibility.

The service made sure that people could access the care, support and treatment they needed when they needed it.

The practice ensured accessibility by providing disabled parking spaces, a dedicated ambulance bay, wheelchair-accessible doors, a chairlift, and two surgery wheelchairs. The practice had ample parking close to the entrance.

A hearing loop and visual aids were available to support patients with hearing and communication needs.

Patients with autism or sensory sensitivities could request a quiet space to wait before their appointment. Also, a private area was available for those needing a quiet place to speak confidentially.

The practice offered extended hours appointments Monday to Wednesday from 18:00 to 20:00. Additionally, appointments were available at other local hubs, including evening, weekend, and specialist clinics to support patient needs.

Staff had completed care navigation training and were fully supported by the Clinical team who provided guidance for any calls which may have been deemed more complicated.

Since the last assessment, the practice had appointed a digital champion to assist staff in implementing technology aimed at managing demand, supporting the workforce, and helping patients manage their health online. The practice also successfully completed The Accelerate Programme to enhance patient access. As a result, care navigation figures had significantly improved:

October 2022 – 52 patients were care navigated.

January 2024 – 6,922 patients were care navigated.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this.

Leaders explained they had a flexible registration procedure to accommodate individuals who face barriers to accessing healthcare services, such as those who have no fixed address or asylum seekers. This included accepting alternative forms of identification or proof of address, waiving administrative or ID requirements, and helping with completing registration forms.

Staff understood the importance of an inclusive approach to care and made adjustments to support equity in patients' experiences and outcomes. They informed us that interpreters were available and that documents could be provided in languages other than English. Additionally, there was one multilingual staff member which aided effective communication with patients.

The practice recognised that they rarely heard from patients over 75, therefore the practice took proactive steps to engage with this group. Care Coordinators generated a report to identify these patients and conducted ‘check-in’ calls. As a result, some patients required appointments, and the practice made the necessary arrangements to support their access to care.

The practice was veteran registered, and they identified patients with caring responsibilities.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future, including at the end of their life.

Our records review showed people were supported to consider their wishes for their end-of-life care, including CPR . This information was shared with other services when necessary.