Claypath Medical Centre - Durham

Simon P.

Over the last 12 months Claypath/University has provided me with an excellent service. Routine and urgent appointments have been readily bookable. Good support from staff through cancer diagnosis and treatment plus other interventions. Routine management of diabetes and blood pressure has been good. Staff will always explain what’s happening and why. Practice is clearly well managed.

Dive I. S.

Claypath Medical Centre is excellent! I am always able to get an appointment when needed and it is time efficient on the day! All the staff, nurses and doctors are friendly and really listen to my problems and explain what I need to know really well and with compassion. I thank God and them all for their diligent work!

Fiona F.

I can’t thank the whole Claypath team enough for the professional and compassionate care they have provided for me and my family.
Always helpful and courteous at reception/phone and very accommodating with appointments. The GPs are very thorough and I never feel rushed. Everything is explained clearly and encouraged to return if any problems. The Nurses are so patient and understanding. I would (and have) recommended the practice to family and friends.

S C.

Tried numerous times to book an appointment, never really succeeded as the phone line always busy at 8:30. The one time o did get a 9:10 appointment i wasn't seen until 9:45, yet they complain about timeliness?

They also no longer show NHS test history correctly.

Wonder if they do have too many patients v doctors?

Lee

To start off, all of the nursing and admin staff have been very kind and have made this process a little better.
HOWEVER- BEWARE IF YOU ARE AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT, ARE DISABLED & NEED MEDS, OR TAKE HRT!!!
I am not the only student that has issues with them. The shared care agreement, as it stands, refuses care to multiple people I have talked to (by chance, I did not seek them out) and during orientation I was warned about some people that were prescribed anxiety meds on the NHS in their hometown were forced onto different meds that the doctors here prescribed, leading to trouble.

I'm not angry about the wait. I am no stranger to medical professionals not knowing quite what to do with me. But there is a clear lack of training dealing with trans people that is frankly embarrassing at the recommended GP for the university.
My ADHD meds keep my cooking, laundry, and schoolwork done but my HRT is my dignity. And having to chase them down (w/ unmedicated ADHD, no less) to give them document after document with no clear end in sight and no acknowledgement in my hardship is exemplary of the systematic dehumanization trans people know so well from the NHS- my dignity and personhood do not matter, so I must prove that I've earned the right to transition, even if that is years behind me.

I would much rather they tell me outright if they are trying to shake me off to a private practice to save money for the local trust or that the doctors here are uncomfortable with filling prescriptions for transgender/disabled patients. it would save me and many people I know a great deal of effort and pain. I am aware that this review may mean that I am refused care in the future but I do not think I am getting my medications anyway so I hope to warn others.
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I have been actively trying for over 3 months to get my ADHD meds and HRT prescription filled (which has not been a problem in the past at other NHS practices). First I filled out the medication transfer form; saw a doc in person(for what I think is just going over the forms and speaking about quick problem ive been experiencing),then I'm told that this doctor actually doesnt have any training or qualifications to refill my specific meds and his supervisor needs to look at it (said it as if this would take a week, maybe 2.) When I was explaining my history he rolled his eyes at me (but he was the one googling my medication and asking me "what kind of trans are you?" like he was hearing about both for the first time.) Then I got sent the ADHD prescription transfer form (the one I did 2 weeks earlier)
Got told I couldnt do anything until after my blood test went through, then they'd contact me. Didn't hear about it again until an unrelated appointment(couldnt see the test on my app). At this point I need to leave the country for Xmas and I had started this paperwork in early November (almost ran out of my HRT and my ADHD was completely unmedicated for a month.) Everyone blames NHS cuts and I try to be gracious.
Right after break I get told that every doctor on the team needs to look over my medications and if any of them veto my past prescriptions (the ones that cause intense side effects when I stop taking them) I WILL NOT GET MY MEDICATION. I send my referral forms/prescription notes. Then I hear back this week (2 weeks later) that they don't believe in my original prescriber's qualifications and request both of my past doctors' CVs.

Also: I understand "what should I say?" or "oops, I forgot" but "you never know what you can say to people anymore"? Looking at my file and gesturing down there (what I percieved to be toward my crotch) with "what kind of trans are you"? Both of those are real things that have been said to me at this practice and while part of it makes sense, both were in my opinion callous to my needs and not relevant to my care.

John H.

Absolutely no hesitation in writing this appreciation for the great services provided by Claypath Medical Centre. The services provided initially by the helpful receptionists, followed by caring support from the nurses and doctors are second to none.

David J.

A very impressive response to my excruciating toothache. From Karen the receptionist to Aaron the dentist, and the dental nurse , whose name I don’t know - everyone was very professional, kind and concerned to help.
I was free from the rogue wisdom tooth the morning after I referred myself. Brilliant !
David

G

Very helpful. Able to get appointments when needed. Go the extra mile for children always finding time to see even late in the day.