Hurworth GP receives perfect patient score in new survey
A GP practice near Darlington is celebrating after scoring 100% positive feedback in the NHS's annual GP patient survey.
Rockliffe Court Surgery, which cares for 6,000 patients in the Hurworth area near Darlington, was one of only nine practices in England to achieve the accolade.
The survey gathers feedback from patients about their experiences, including making appointments, opening hours, treatment, and care planning.
Dr Alison McNaughton-Jones, Senior Partner at Rockliffe Court Surgery, said: "It's great to hear the positive feedback we have received from our patients. We have a wonderful team, and we're very lucky that our staff tend to stay with us a long time. They regularly go above and beyond to provide an excellent service to our patients.
"Demand is higher than ever, and our staff are working incredibly hard, so it's even more gratifying that this is reflected in the results."
The practice traces its history back as far as the 19th century, with the current surgery built in 1989, on land formerly used by the Brothers of the Order of St. John at Rockcliffe Hall.
Dave Gallagher, executive area director at North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), said: "Congratulations to Dr McNaughton-Jones and the team for such fantastic feedback from their patients. Practices across our region are dealing with exceptional levels of demand for services and our thanks go to all the staff who are working so hard for patients.
"Our region's practices are offering more appointments than ever, with more than 1.5 million slots every month in the North East and North Cumbria. Despite a difficult winter, challenges with recruitment, and the continuing impact of the pandemic, more than nine out of ten patients said they had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they consulted at their practice."
Around 2.6 million people were invited to take part in this year's survey, taking part online or by returning a paper questionnaire.
Lucy Calvert, practice manager at the Rockliffe Court surgery, said: "It's lovely to know that the patients appreciate the team's hard work and commitment to provide the best possible care. As a small practice we can offer excellent continuity of care, which we believe is very important.
"It's a challenging time for practices and we know this can be frustrating for patients at times. Our thanks go to everyone in the team for their exceptional commitment, and to our patients