We have produced this website to provide you with information about the way the Practice is organised and the services that are provided directly by Practice Staff, or by other members of the Primary Health Care Team. Services will, by necessity, change from time to time, please do not hesitate to telephone the Practice to check the current position.
Flu Season: Get Winter Strong With Bishop's Close Medical Practice
At Bishop’s Close Medical Practice, our flu vaccination campaigns have been hugely successful. Last year, an incredible 2094 patients received their flu jab right here at the surgery!
Don’t put it off. Protect your lungs – get your jab today!
The practice will contact you for your flu and COVID vaccines via text or phone call. You can book your appointment directly using the link sent to you.
Appointment Availability
- Appointments available throughout the day until 8 PM
- Saturday clinics also available for your convenience
You and Your General Practice
A new guide from NHS England, You and Your General Practice, describes what practices and patients can expect of each other.
- Patients are encouraged to be on time, be prepared, and avoid wasted appointments by cancelling early.
- Patients can ask to be supported by general practices in a variety of ways.
- You and Your General Practice also describes how patients and their representatives can give feedback or raise concerns.
Please note, with regard to opening hours stated in the document:
- GP contracts in our area provide for practice opening hours between 8am and 6pm.
- We are closed between 1pm and 2pm
- We close one afternoon per month for staff training
When the surgery is closed, call NHS 111 for free where the right healthcare professional will see you, as close to your home as possible.
Annual GP Patient Survey 2025
The annual GP Patient Survey Results have been published, and we are pleased to share our results! Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond. Our workload and demand is heavier than ever, and the General Practice environment is challenging and ever-changing. The whole team are working as hard as they possibly can, and we will continue to strive to offer the best service to all our patients
Think Pharmacy First: How Pharmacies can Help
Advice from a pharmacist
Pharmacists can offer advice on a range of illnesses, such as coughs, colds, sore throats, ear infections and aches and pains. They can also give advice about medicines. This includes how to use your medicine, worries about side effects or any other questions you have. If they cannot help you themselves, they can refer you to a GP or other health professional. Click on the link below to watch a short video:
Stigma Kills
Bishop’s Close Medical Practice is working alongside the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (NENC ICB) to share a message about stigma and addiction across the region. (see video below) Stigma Kills is an NHS Addictions Provider Alliance digital campaign that asks health and social care workers, and the public too, to ‘see the person, hear their story.’
Sarah Hulse, the ICB’s Strategic Manager for Alcohol, said:
“Our attitudes to addiction, and specifically the prejudiced ways we can think about people living with addiction, can have very tragic, real-life consequences. By asking health and care workers to understand addiction as an illness rather than a choice, the Stigma Kills campaign hopes to change both beliefs and behaviours.”
The campaign, created to reach both the public and health and care professionals, urges people to ‘Stop using words that hurt and isolate people, start thinking about why someone might be ill, and ask how you can help.’
GPs Are on Your Side: A message for Patients in England | BMA
GPs are on your side. Like you, GPs want to look after your friends, your family, to look after YOU. To have appointments that are simple and easy to make and help you with your health problems LOCALLY. Your family Doctor providing continuity of care. Why can’t GPs do this? General Practice is being broken. GPs are overstretched and overworked. Click the link below to watch this short video for more….
Patient Notice: New Service to Order Repeat Prescription
We are introducing a new prescription ordering service to improve patient access. This will replace the Voicemail service which will cease on 29 Mar 24. It is called Voice Connect; Voice Connect enables patients to telephone the practice 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and re-order repeat prescriptions without the need to speak to a member of our reception team. please click the link below for more information:
Self Referral to Podiatry
You are now able to refer yourself directly to Podiatry for all routine matters without the need to see a GP. Please use the following link to access the service:
Get the NHS App
Click below to go to our Page with more information:
Care Navigation Information
- Care Navigation: Durham Dales Health Federation (ddhf.co.uk)
- Care Navigation: FAQ (countydurhamccg.nhs.uk)
Carers Digital Support
Access to free digital resources for carers based on their location within the UK. This includes access to the free Jointly app to help carers coordinate care. To access information relevant for the North East, or to access the jointly app, simply enter your email address, choose a password and use the access code: DPCN9174
Coming 1st October 2022....
Sedgefield North Primary Care Network
- Monday – Friday 6:00pm – 8:00pm
- Saturday 9:00am – 5:00pm
Download the leaflet below for more information:
Northern Cancer Alliance - Help Us to Help You
Practice Privacy Notice
Bishops Close Medical Practice has a legal duty to explain how we use any personal information we collect about you, as a registered patient at the Practice. Employees at this Practice maintain records about your health and the treatment you receive in electronic and paper format.
Please go to our Privacy Notice Page for more information.