A PRUDHOE surgery is the highest ranking in the North-East.

Adderlane Surgery was ranked eighth out of 6,418 practices in England in the annual GP Patient Survey.

Ninety-nine per cent of respondents said their overall experience of the practice was good, with 100 per cent having confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw or spoke to at their appointment.

Other categories included ease of appointment making, appointment times and whether patients' needs had been met.

The surgery, which has just two doctors - Dr Stephen Haywood and Dr Ann Pratt - serves approximately 2,000 patients.

"We're very pleased and proud of the achievement", said Dr Haywood. "I feel as positive about practice today as I have at any time.

"We've had lots of patients coming in and saying congratulations and how pleased they are.

"It's helped in that we've had a difficult time, all of us in general practice, over the last two or three years and it's nice to be aware that our patients notice and appreciate that and are grateful for the way we do things.

"We work in quite a traditional way, quite different from many practices in this day and age, and it's nice to know that is, as we've always thought, what people appreciate."

The practice is smaller than most, Dr Haywood explained, meaning staff get to know patients individually, following the long-term continuity of care principle.

Dr Haywood added: "We know our patients, their families and their friends, and their social set up. By being a small practice and just being the two of us here, we've got to know everybody well.

"We've always made sure that we see people quickly. If anybody contacts the practice before 10am, we guarantee to deal with them that day. We've managed to stick to that for over 30 years.

"Our staff here are great, they've worked here for a lot of years and everyone knows them. I've always said I work with nice people and for nice people."

Prudhoe Medical Group scored 88 per cent on overall experience, while Riversdale Surgery got 90 per cent.

It comes as larger surgeries are prioritised and amid a shortage of GPs.

  • Sele Medical Practice, 97 per cent 
  • Haltwhistle Medical Group, 94 per cent
  • Corbridge Health Centre, 94 per cent 
  • Burn Brae Medical Group, 94 per cent
  • Bellingham Practice, 90 per cent 
  • Humshaugh and Wark Medical Group, 88 per cent 
  • Haydon Bridge and Allendale Medical Practice, 86 per cent
  • Branch End Surgery, 86 per cent 
  • White Medical Group, 72 per cent
  • Ponteland Medical Group, 69 per cent rated their overall experience as good