Castlegate and Derwent Surgery

16/02/2026

It’s been a little while since we shared this - so as we head into a new week, here’s a quick reminder of the Choose Wisely message.

We know most of you use services appropriately, but it’s something worth revisiting. Using the right service helps make sure patients are prioritised based on clinical urgency - and keeps care available for those who need it most.

🏥 Not every health concern needs A&E

When you’re unwell or unsure, knowing where to go can help you get the right treatment faster and protect emergency services for genuine emergencies.

Here’s a quick guide:

🏠 Self-care
Minor cuts, coughs, colds, sore throats, aches and pains can often be managed at home with rest and over-the-counter medicines.

💊 Pharmacy
Expert advice and treatment for common illnesses - no appointment needed.

🩺 Your GP Practice
Persistent, ongoing or complex health concerns, long-term conditions, or symptoms not improving.

📞 NHS 111
If you’re unsure what to do or need urgent advice that isn’t life-threatening. Available 24/7 online or by calling 111.

🏥 Urgent Treatment Centres
For minor injuries such as small fractures, burns, deep cuts and sprains.

🦷 Dental
For urgent dental issues, call 111.

🧠 Mental Health
In crisis? Call NHS 111, Option 2 (24/7).
Immediate danger? Call 999 or go to A&E.
Need emotional support? Samaritans 116 123.

🚨 Call 999 or go to A&E
For serious or life-threatening emergencies such as chest pain, stroke symptoms, major trauma or severe bleeding.

Right care. Right place. Right time.
Let’s help keep services available for those who need them most. 💚💙

13/02/2026

There's still time to join us for a drop in this month. 💬

Maybe you had a great experience with your GP, or you might still be waiting for an appointment at your local hospital.

We would love to hear about it!

You can find us at Workington Library today, 10am-11am. Plus you can find us at Keswick Library on 19th and Cockermouth Library on 27th.

(See poster for details).

12/02/2026

Help us make every appointment count 🩺
There’s a simple way you can help our practice and your own patient community: please let us know if you can’t attend your appointment.
That slot could go to another patient who needs care.
Over the last six months, there were unfortunately 1,391 missed appointments - what we call DNAs (Did Not Attends).
Every missed appointment adds up and really can put extra pressure on our services.
So if you can’t make it, please let us know. It really does make a difference for the practice, and for your fellow patients.
We understand there are sometimes unavoidable circumstances - but otherwise this support will go a long way.

12/02/2026

📢 Calling all patients! 📢
🙏We would appreciate you taking time to provide feedback about our service to the CQC.
The visit is now complete but there is still time to provide feedback.

This is opportunity for our patients to get involved and an essential requirement of the assessment.
Therefore we would like to encourage our patients to share their feedback by completing the online form which can be found here: https://www.cqc.org.uk/give-feedback-on-care/start
🙏 Thank you for your support.

Browser Support We recommend using one of the following browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari. Any other browser may experience partial or no support.

06/02/2026

Submitted a triage form?

📞 Please answer your phone!

We will need to call you to book your appointment.

👎 If we can’t reach you, we can’t book you in.
_________________________________________

🙏 A gentle reminder from our Reception Team

Yesterday we tried calling 9 different patients to try to get one of our appointments booked. No answer or voicemail. 😫
This is putting increased pressure on the team and adding to our workload.

If you have raised a triage request you are asking for help we can’t help if we can’t get hold of you!
We will always try a number of times and also send out a text message, that we were unable to reach you.
📲 Please keep your phone to hand, switched on, volume up, ready to accept our call.
Our GP appointments are in short supply and we cannot leave any unused.
❌Did not attend- same applies if you cannot make your appointment please cancel as soon as possible to allow us to get another patient in.
Leaving it to the last minute prevents us filling the spot!

🙏 Thank you for helping us, we are trying our utmost to navigate the demand.

05/02/2026

Notification of CQC Inspection
We would like to inform our patients that CQC are commencing an assessment of our service from Friday 6th – Wednesday 11th February.
Gathering feedback from our patients is an essential requirement of the assessment. Therefore we would like to encourage our patients to share their feedback by completing the online form which can be found here: https://www.cqc.org.uk/give-feedback-on-care/start
Thank you for your support.

Browser Support We recommend using one of the following browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari. Any other browser may experience partial or no support.

04/02/2026

GP Jobs in the NHS area of North Cumbria (West, East and North) 🌄🩺

A special job highlight today focusing on the current GP vacancies in our lovely part of the world. More info at the link in the Comments.

This one goes out to Doctors looking for new opportunities…
✨ The best of both worlds: beautiful rural surroundings, while still being well connected with major towns and transport routes nearby.

The area offers a range of experiences in communities that value their primary care teams. There’s scope to develop roles that suit your ambitions, including exploring specialties alongside being a GP. Speak with the practices directly to see what they can offer.

Current Opportunities:

🏥 Castlegate and Derwent Surgery – Salaried GP
Located in the historic market town of , at the gateway to the . Ideal for professionals and families, just minutes from fells, lakes, and endless outdoor adventures — paddleboarding at sunset, climbing, trail running, or wild swimming.

🏥 Brampton Medical Practice – Salaried GP
, in north Cumbria, blends heritage, green space, and connectivity. Open countryside, historic landmarks, and nearby city links make it perfect for GPs seeking balance between meaningful work and everyday quality of life.

🏥 The Workington GP Practice – Salaried GP
, on the west coast, combines seaside living with town conveniences, surrounded by dramatic landscapes. Well connected and perfect for GPs looking for career satisfaction plus lifestyle balance.

🏥 Silloth Group Medical Practice – Salaried GP
, a charming seaside town on the Solway Coast, is known for its friendly community, scenic beaches, and relaxed pace of life. Perfect for families or anyone wanting a close-knit, peaceful community alongside a rewarding GP role.

Looking for your next career move with the Lake District on your doorstep? 🌄💚💙 Get in touch with them now and make sure you don't miss out on these exciting opportunities!

29/01/2026

Career Opportunity - Advanced Nurse Practitioner

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27/01/2026

13/01/2026

💙 Practice Update 💙

Due to a reduced number of GPs and overwhelming demand, we are currently struggling with appointment capacity this week at the practice. 📅
In the last 2 days alone, we have received over 500 triage forms 📝 and more than 600 phone calls ☎️, which is putting significant pressure on our services.

We kindly ask patients to consider Pharmacy First where appropriate 💊 — local pharmacists can help with many common conditions and may be able to support you more quickly.

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and kindness to our team during this very busy time 🙏

07/01/2026

💙 Happy to share for CocCockermouth Linking Lives highlight this brilliant service in Cockermouth.
Do you like to chat? Can you support by offering an hour a week? Or do you know someone who would benefit from befriending service?
Get in touch with Linking lives for full details….

31/12/2025

All of our staff at the surgery, would like to wish our patients the very best for the New Year and thank you for all of your support during 2025.
In the year ahead, we're committed to providing you even better care and services, ensuring your health and wellbeing are always our top priority. 2025 has been a challenging year for Primary Care and our surgery but we will keep doing our best for the patients of Cockermouth.