The Care Quality Commission (CQC) found both in 2023 and 2025 that the Castlegate and Derwent Surgery on Isel Road required improvements in multiple areas.
A warning notice was also issued to the surgery in August 2024.
In October 2025, following an inquest into the death of Cockermouth man Mark Foster, a Cumbrian coroner wrote a ‘prevention of future deaths’ report which said there had been a ‘gross failing’ in Dr Foster’s care at the surgery.
It was also announced last year that ‘several’ GPs would be leaving the practice in 2026, with the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board placing a six-month pause on accepting new patients from November 2025.
The surgery has claimed it was ‘overwhelmed’ by appointment requests over the winter months but is now ‘actively recruiting’ for new doctors to create a ‘strong, stable team’.
Last week, Penrith and Solway MP Markus Campbell-Savours laid down a series of early day motions in Parliament.
In his motions he said nearly all the GP partners have resigned, with several others working out their notice periods, and expressed scepticism that the partnership can successfully recruit new partners ‘given the reputational damage and ongoing turmoil.’
The MP urged NHS England to ‘work closely with the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) and consider all options for removing the GP contract from the Castlegate and Derwent GP partnership in order to protect patient safety’.
One motion also called for the contract to be handed back ‘to allow the ICB to appoint a new partnership capable of providing the safe, high-quality primary care services that the people of Cockermouth deserve.’
Markus Campbell-Savours MP (Image: Submitted)
“Despite public statements from the senior partner in 2023 and subsequent reassurances from practice leaders, promised improvements have repeatedly failed to materialise,” he said.
The MP also went on to ‘applaud the dedicated, hard working practice staff who have continued to support patients throughout this difficult period’.
It’s not the first time Mr Campbell-Savours has publicly raised concerns over the surgery.
ICB: ‘The underlying issues need to be resolved’
The NHS North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB) say they have had, and continue to have, ongoing concerns around the future of Castlegate and Derwent Surgery. 
An ICB spokesman said: “Our focus will always be on improving patient care and ensuring safe services for our communities. Our immediate actions, since the issues came to light, have focused on stabilising the service, strengthening the staff team and improving patient care.
“We’re grateful to Cumbria Health for agreeing to step in to provide additional support and ensure that patients can continue to access primary care services at this time.
“However, we are absolutely clear that the underlying issues need to be resolved urgently. We are working closely with NHS England and the Care Quality Commission to support them and ensure this improvement happens.
“In the meantime, the practice is open as usual, and patients can continue to use the service in the normal way.”
Surgery: ‘We are actively recruiting’
A spokesperson for the Castlegate and Derwent Surgery said: “Several of our GPs have recently moved on to new opportunities, with some further changes ahead.
“As a result, we are actively recruiting new permanent doctors for the practice – one has already joined us, we have made two other offers of employment this week, further interviews are taking place shortly.
“Our focus is firmly on developing a strong, stable team for the future.
“In the meantime, to ensure appointments remain available and to prevent long waiting times, experienced locum GPs and additional clinicians are supporting the practice. These fully-qualified clinicians are working on our behalf to help reduce any backlog and maintain access to care while recruitment continues.
“We understand how important continuity of care is, and restoring this remains a key priority as our new team becomes established.
“We are also working closely with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following their recent visit, and with our commissioner, the North East and North Cumbria Integrated Care Board (ICB), to support ongoing improvements and continued clinical leadership development within the practice.
“Our team remains fully committed to providing safe, effective care during this period of change. We are grateful for our patients’ patience and understanding as we continue to strengthen and develop the practice for the future.”
Partner: ‘We anticipate further changes’
Surgery partner Dr Simon Desert added: “I would like to express enormous gratitude to the team who have stood by their posts during this difficult transition.
“The surgery has been working with local partner organisations to address immediate concerns. A 250 per cent increase in requests overwhelmed our triage system, despite a 12 per cent increase in appointment capacity between December and January.
“We are pleased that by Tuesday this week all patients were once again being offered appointments within the required timeframe. However, we anticipate further changes to our access and appointment systems which must again pivot in response to latest requirements set down by the Department of Health.
“We are pleased to be re-expanding our team and will take the opportunity of a reset to tackle the persisting governance issues that have not always supported the dedicated staff team as they endeavour to provide care for our community.
“Our future involves closer collaboration with partner healthcare providers as we develop systems to better manage these complex care pathways previously based in hospital services.”