A MEDICAL centre is celebrating after being rated outstanding.

Shinwell Medical Centre, which is based in Horden, Peterlee, was awarded the accolade by the Care Quality Commission following an inspection carried out in January.

Inspectors rated the practice as outstanding for responsiveness and being well-led, and good for safe, effective and caring - giving them their overall outstanding rating.

The practice vision Putting Patients First was created by the now-retired senior partner Dr Joseph Chandy, who lead the practice from 1970 to 2015.

His son Joseph Chandy joined as practice manager in 1996 and is now the managing partner.

Since Dr Chandy’s retirement the day-to-day leadership has been taken over by senior partner Dr Oliver Barnsley and assistant practice manager Rebecca Duncanson.

Recent accomplishments include building a new £1.4m Health Centre in Horden, which now accommodates this GP Practice and the other GP Practice in the village, Horden Group Practice.

The practice took over the running of the neighbouring practice of Jupiter House, Horden, from April 2015 to October 2016. Following its closure by the NHS, the practice subsequently took on 800 additional patients at Shinwell Medical Group.

Shinwell Medical Group intervened with the Roseby Road Community Centre, Horden, which was threatened with closure The practice transferred the building into the Dr Joseph Chandy Charitable Trust, which has kept the centre running for four years.

It offers a range of services and activities to the community including luncheon clubs, respiratory clinics, young persons activities and the chiropody service.

The nursing staff also outreach to primary schools and the local pony club.

Mr Chandy said: “ This is real achievement for the practice and for the community.

“The doctors, nurses and staff have worked very hard to gain this achievement and it demonstrates their commitment to the patients”.