GP surgeries in Barnard Castle: ratings and patient reviews
There are 2 GP practices in Barnard Castle, with 13,787 registered patients between them (September 2026). The highest share of patients rating their overall experience as good is at Old Forge Surgery (90%, England 77%). Across the town there are 1,643 patients per qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 2 practices in Barnard Castle with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 84% at Barnard Castle Surgery to 90% at Old Forge Surgery, with a median of 87% (England: 77%). 1 is above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Old Forge Surgery has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (86%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old Forge Surgery | 2,727 | 90% | 86% | Good | 1,633 |
| Barnard Castle Surgery | 11,060 | 84% | 65% | Good | 1,645 |
There are 1,643 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Barnard Castle, fewer than England's 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. Practices recorded 565 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 82% of them face to face. 31% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
32% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists grew by 0.7% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Barnard Castle | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 1,643 | 2,088 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 565 | 550 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 82% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 31% | 42% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 4% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 32% | 22% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Barnard Castle is peripheral arterial disease (1.0% against 0.6%), and the furthest below is osteoporosis (0.4% against 1.2%).
| Condition register | Age group | Barnard Castle (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 22.2% | 15.2% | 3,022 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 17.0% | 14.3% | 1,957 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.9% | 7.9% | 1,152 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.8% | 6.6% | 1,022 |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.3% | 3.8% | 724 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.6% | 3.0% | 622 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.3% | 4.6% | 499 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.6% | 2.2% | 493 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.5% | 1.9% | 479 |
| COPD | All ages | 2.2% | 1.9% | 297 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.3% | 1.1% | 179 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% | 132 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% | 149 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.0% | 0.6% | 141 |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.0% | 0.8% | 137 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 88 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% | 81 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% | 72 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.4% | 1.2% | 34 |
How many GP practices are there in Barnard Castle?
2, with 13,787 registered patients in September 2026.
Which GP practice in Barnard Castle do patients rate highest?
Old Forge Surgery: 90% of patients described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, above the England figure of 77%.
How many patients are there per GP in Barnard Castle?
1,643 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.
How many GP appointments in Barnard Castle are face to face?
82% of appointments at the town's practices were face to face, against 63% across England.