• Doctor
  • GP practice

Auckland Medical Group

Overall: Good read more about inspection ratings

The Old Firehouse, Watling Road, Bishop Auckland, DL14 6RP (01388) 602728

Provided and run by:
Auckland Medical Group

Important: This service was previously registered at a different address - see old profile

Latest inspection summary

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Background to this inspection

Updated 24 October 2018

Auckland Medical Group provides care and treatment to around 14,300 patients in Bishop Auckland, County Durham. The practice is part of the Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield clinical commissioning group (CCG) and operates on a General Medical Services (GMS) contract agreement for general practice.

The practice provides services from the following addresses;

  • The Old Firehouse, Watling Road, Bishop Auckland, DL14 6RP
  • St Helens, 16 Manor Road, St Helen Auckland, Bishop Auckland, DL14 9EP
  • Toft Hill, 51 Toft Hill, Bishop Auckland, DL14 0JA

We visited the Old Firehouse Surgery as part of this inspection.

The Watling Road surgery is located in a purpose built two storey building. All patient facilities are on the ground floor. There is on-site parking, accessible parking, an accessible WC, wheelchair and step-free access.

The St Helens surgery is located in a purpose built two storey building. All patient facilities are on the ground floor. There is an accessible WC, wheelchair and step-free access. There is a small on-site car park and on-street parking nearby.

The Toft Hill surgery is located in a two storey building, converted from former residential premises. All patient facilities are on the ground floor. There is on-site parking, accessible parking, an accessible WC, wheelchair and step-free access. The surgery has an on-site dispensary; which dispenses to patients who live in rural locations.

Patients can book appointments in person, on-line or by telephone.

The service for patients requiring urgent medical attention out of hours is provided by the NHS 111 service and County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.

The practice has:

  • four GP partners (two female and two male),
  • four salaried GPs (two female and two male), two of which are in the process of registering as partners in the practice,
  • three nurse practitioners and six practice nurses (all female),
  • four healthcare assistants,
  • a practice manager, and
  • 26 staff who carry out reception and administrative duties.

The practice is a teaching and training practice and three of the GPs are accredited GP trainers. At the time of the inspection there were three trainee GPs working at the practice.

The age profile of the practice population is in line with the local and national averages, but is made up of a slightly higher than average proportion of patients over the age 65 (20% compared to the national average of 17%). Information taken from Public Health England placed the area in which the practice is located in the third more deprived decile. In general, people living in more deprived areas tend to have greater need for health services.

Overall inspection

Good

Updated 24 October 2018

At our previous inspection in April 2018 we told the provider they should make improvements in several areas. We saw at this inspection that improvements had been made;

  • Regular checks were made to ensure clinical staff remained registered with the appropriate professional bodies.
  • Access had been improved at the branch surgeries by the practice placing door bells at the entrance to the surgeries.
  • The monitoring of refrigerator temperatures had been reviewed and was in-line with Public Health England guidance.

Professor Steve Field CBE FRCP FFPH FRCGP

Chief Inspector of General Practice