The practice was founded by Dr Ernest Hinde around 1900 in the part of Norwich known as “Norwich-over-the Water”. In 1912, Dr Hinde’s practice moved into the historic Gurney Court in Magdalen Street which was rented from the Gurney family.
In the late 1920’s a second partner joined the practice, panel patients being seen by the junior partner in Gurney Court and private patients being seen in Mount Pleasant by the senior partner.
In 1938, the house at 29 Mile End Road was purchased by Dr Ian Robertson, and a consulting room was built on the side of the house. In 1953 a small surgery was built at Tuckswood to serve the newly built housing estate. The practice now consisted of three partners.
Since then the practice has steadily grown, and the number of partners increased to 11 by the beginning of 2000.
The practice purchased the Mile End Road building from Dr John Bennett in 1976 which has since that time been a full surgery premises and during 1999 underwent a full modernisation.
In 1989, a brand new three-doctor surgery was built at Tuckswood on the site of the original surgery, and offers comfortable and modern facilities for staff and patients.
The northern part of the practice remained in Gurney Court until 1996, however it became increasingly impractical as a surgery building and the opportunity came for the surgery to move a short distance down Magdalen Street into the converted former Co-op supermarket building. Roll forward again to 2019 and that building is now starting to look weary and not being able to support with the growing patient demand and new services within the NHS. Gurney Surgery again starts to look for a bigger and more flexible location.
Welcome to Fishergate, the new home of Gurney Surgery, where the partners and NHSE take over an old abandoned shoe factory and turn it into a 2 floor clinical surgery fit for purpose and for the future of the Castle Partnership.
The practice now has three sets of premises able to meet the needs of the practice and the wider primary health care team for the foreseeable future in the modern National Health Service.
As of February 2025 there are 7 GP Partners – Dr Patel, Dr Bethapudy, Dr Thacker, Dr Prabhu, Dr Walsh, Dr Nichols & Dr Raine.
Castle Partnership is now part of Central Norwich Primary Care Network – working closely with UEA Medical Centre, St Stephens Gate Medical Centre, Lakenham Surgery and West Pottergate Medical Centre. Together we run a Home Visiting Service, who visit patients from all Practices.
Castle Partnership have a workforce of around 75 employees – who care for our 18,000 patients across Norwich. We care for several Care Homes, including The Hawthorns, Cromwell House, Corton House, Baytree, Hillgrove and Cavell Court and provide our medical services to specialist palliative care beds at Priscilla Bacon Lodge, and ‘step down’ beds at Redlands and Two Acres Care Homes.
We are a Teaching Practice – hosting Medical students from the University of East Anglia, and GP trainees, as well as offering placements to Physician’s Associate, Paramedic and Nursing students. We also take part in medical research to support the continuation of improvements in early diagnosis, treatment and surveillance where our patients choose to participate.
In 2024, Castle Partnership won a national award for our commitment to the professional development of our non-clinical workforce at the PMA Awards.