Welcome to our new website

Last year, working with other GP practices across Newcastle and Gateshead, we asked patients to tell us how they used GPs’ websites and how they could be improved.

More than 5,000 of you shared your thoughts. Thank you to everyone who took part.

You told us you wanted clear layouts with easy to navigate menus, relevant up to date health information, modern digital features like online registration, and staff profiles to get to know the team better.

That insight has now been blended with extensive, expert web development to create a new network of GP practice and Primary Care Network sites, including launching this brand new site for Biddlestone Health Group.

Finding what you want

Your number one bugbear with existing sites was having difficulty finding the information you wanted.

To solve this, the home page of each site has been configured with the most commonly used features patients requested. Think of it as a series of front doors to each section of the site.

We’ve also simplified the menu system you see, making it easy to navigate to sections based on common themes, from which you can find the individual areas you need.

For instance, the Accessing Services menu option takes you to a page where you can find out how to book appointments, reorder repeat prescriptions, view your records or find out about online access.

News and Resources

We’ve built a dedicated news section for the latest health and practice updates and a resource page packed with useful, relevant information.

To make it as easy as possible to find what you want, both pages let you filter by a category, resource type and keywords.

You can quickly see all resources in our Conditions category, or find everything relating to Mental Health or information for people New to the UK.

Similarly, if you are looking for news items on Health and Wellbeing or NHS Services, those options are only a click away.

The Right Information at the Right Time

At the top of the site, you will see a small clock icon. This tells you whether the practice is currently open or closed and directs you to relevant information.

If we’re open, clicking this button will take you to our contact details page with full opening hours, address and map, and all the ways to contact us.

If the practice is closed, you’ll be shown the best options of how to get help when we are not open.

Modern digital features

Our insight survey showed high numbers of people used digital means to manage various parts of their lives like banking, shopping, and paying bills. You told us you would like to manage your health online in a similar way, but at the time, far fewer actually did.

To help, we have made it easier to find, understand and use the NHS’s various digital options.

Our Digital Access page explains what you can do with each one and how to sign up, download or log in.

We’ve also custom-built a brand new Online Registration system for people to join the practice.

Now you can register as a new patient paper-free. There is nothing to download or print.

Our smart registration form is 100% online, cutting out any repetition and only asking you to complete sections relevant to you.

We’ve also built-in identity verification, so we can start processing your application without you needing to visit the practice.

Accessible to all

All public sector websites need to be accessible to as many people as possible. This means our site needs to be able to adjust to meet the needs of people with a disability, visual impairment or are dyslexic, for example.

Built into our site is an Accessibility Preference button. This opens a box where you can adjust how you view the site. Colour and contrast can be adjusted, as can text size and spacing. The size of your cursor (if using a mouse or trackpad) can be increased or turned into a reading guide.

Highlighted links, paused animations and dyslexia-friendly fonts are also available.

Next to the accessibility options, you can select a different language. Clicking the button will present a list of available languages, and selecting one will automatically transform text within the site to that language.

The most common first languages from our survey last year as presented first, with further language options made available soon.

These features are part of a commitment to making primary health care as accessible to everyone as possible.