Updated 22 August 2018
Beacon View Medical Centre provides care and treatment to approximately 4,761 patients of all ages who live within five miles (eight kilometres) of the surgery. The practice is part of the NHS Newcastle Gateshead Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and operates on a General
Medical Services (GMS) contract.
The practice provides services from the following address, which we visited during this inspection:
Beacon View Medical Centre
Beacon Lough Road
Gateshead
NE9 6YS
The surgery is located in an ex-residential nursing home which it shares with a pharmacy. All reception and consultation rooms are fully accessible for patients with mobility issues. An on-site car park is available and off-street parking is also available nearby.
The surgery is open from 8.30am to 6pm on a Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and from 8.30am to 8pm on a Wednesday. Consultations were available as follows:
- Monday – 9am to 11am and 2.30pm to 5.20pm
- Tuesday and Thursday – 9am to 11am and 3.30pm to 5.20pm
- Wednesday – 9am to 11am and 3.30pm to 7.30pm
- Friday – 9am to 11am and 2.10pm to 5.20pm
The service for patients requiring urgent medical attention out-of-hours is provided by the NHS 111 service and the Gateshead Doctors on Call service known locally as GatDoc.
Beacon View Medical Centre offers a range of services and clinic appointments including long term condition reviews, contraceptive services, childhood health surveillance and immunisation services and maternity services. The surgery also hosts regular sessions delivered by mental health, physiotherapy and chiropody practitioners.
The practice consists of:
- Two GP partners (one male and one female)
- Two practice nurses (both female)
- Two healthcare assistants (female)
- Six non-clinical members of staff including a practice manager, assistant practice manager/secretary and administration assistants.
The practice is a teaching and training practice and involved in the training of qualified doctors wishing to pursue a career in general practice as well as the teaching of undergraduate medical students learning about GP practice.
The average life expectancy for the male practice population is 77 (CCG average 77 and national average 79) and for the female population 81 (CCG average 81 and national average 83).
At 44.9%, the percentage of the practice population reported as having a long-standing health condition was lower than the CCG average of 55.2% and national average of 53.2%. Generally, a higher percentage of patients with a long-standing health condition can lead to an increased
demand for GP services.
At 59.1% the percentage of the practice population recorded as being in paid work or full-time education was comparable with the CCG average of 59.8% and national average of 62.5%. The practice area is in the third most deprived decile. Deprivation levels affecting children were lower than the local average but higher than the national average. Deprivation levels affecting adults were higher than both the CCG and national averages.