New facilities and services in the Gateshead primary care trust area since 1992 include the walk in centre (opened July 2004) on the site of the Bensham hospital as well as the Teams medical practice which moved into new purpose built premises in December 2005.
New pharmacies have opened at Boots in Retail World Gateshead, and in Sainsburys in Gateshead.
Other achievements include:
an out-of-hours service for people not registered with a dentist;
integrated community equipment services for people to use at home following illness or disability;
the expert patient programme to support people suffering from a chronic disease to develop new techniques that will help them manage the impact of their disease on a day-to-day basis;
improved local services for people with low vision by setting up a low vision centre at Bensham hospital;
improved retinal screening for people with diabetes;
the single assessment process for older people;
a new condom distribution scheme for the under 25s in Gateshead;
a new health trainers project to encourage people to be more engaged with improving their own health;
a triage service in paediatric speech and language therapy which includes a partial booking system; and
a programme for overweight children called ‘Balance It!—getting the balance right’ working with children and families.
New facilities and services in Blaydon area include the new Whickham cottage medical centre (2002), new general practitioner (GP) services in Ryton (2003-04) following the recruitment of two additional GPs, along with improvements to the surgery accommodation. The GP services in Ryton is now a main practice as opposed to the former branch practice arrangement. New facialities in Chopwell (The Pioneer centre) became available in 2004. These include podiatry, speech and language therapy as well as family planning services.
New optometry practices have opened in Crawcrook and Birtley. Gateshead PCT has also provided funding for a number of GP practices to make improvements to their premises to meet the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act such as electrically operated doors, new seating, signage, ramps, call bells and induction loops.
The PCT is looking at ways to help provide new health facilities for GPs and PCT staff in Ryton, Crawcrook and Wrekenton. It is also supporting the provision of new replacement medical facilities for several practices, including Glenpark medical practice in Dunston, Central Gateshead medical group, Oxford Terrace, Bewick Road in central Gateshead and St. Albans medical group in Felling.