Abbey Road Surgery, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria: patient reviews and CQC rating
Abbey Road Surgery is a GP practice in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria with 6,721 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 88% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Lancashire and South Cumbria: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in December 2023. It has 5.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,303 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Abbey Road Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 89%, above the England figure of 57%. Its result closest to England is the share who said the healthcare professional was good at listening to them: 89%, against 87% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 7 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 4 within it.
89% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points lower than in 2025 (90%). 126 patients answered the survey (response rate 30%).
| Survey question | Abbey Road Surgery | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 88% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 89% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 78% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 76% | 57% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 96% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 87% | 74% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 82% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 89% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 88% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 96% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 94% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 94% of 368 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Abbey Road Surgery is Good, published in December 2023. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (June 2022).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
6,721 patients were registered at Abbey Road Surgery in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
25% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 5.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,303 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Lancashire and South Cumbria's 2,288. The practice also has 2.0 nurses and 2.5 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.0 | 4.1 |
| August 2024 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| August 2025 | 4.3 | 4.3 |
| August 2026 | 5.2 | 6.2 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,154 appointments a month, or 469 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 75% were face to face (England: 63%). 30% took place on the day they were booked and 4% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
55% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Abbey Road Surgery | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 469 | 471 | 510 |
| Face to face | 75% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 30% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 4% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for palliative or supportive care needs (1.4% against 0.6%), osteoporosis (2.3% against 1.2%) and heart failure (2.1% against 1.1%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 22.0 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 81.1 years for women and 77.0 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 19.7% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 19.0% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.8% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.5% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.3% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.1% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.1% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.9% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.4% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 2.3% | 1.2% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 2.1% | 1.1% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 79.0% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 80.6% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 76.5% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 75.0% | 74.9% |
Abbey Road Surgery, Alfred Barrow Health Centre, Duke Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, LA14 2LB. Phone: 01229 821599. Website: www.abbey-practice.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Atkinson Health Centre Practice | 0.0 km | 86% |
| Risedale Surgery | 0.0 km | 59% |
| Duke Street Surgery | 0.1 km | 77% |
| The Family Practice | 0.8 km | 62% |
| Norwood Medical Centre | 1.0 km | 66% |
- Atkinson Health Centre Practice (86% overall experience good)
- Bridgegate Medical Centre (73% overall experience good)
- Burnett Edgar Medical Centre (84% overall experience good)
- Duke Street Surgery (77% overall experience good)
- Norwood Medical Centre (66% overall experience good)
- Risedale Surgery (59% overall experience good)
- The Family Practice (62% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Abbey Road Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 88% of patients described their overall experience of Abbey Road Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 89% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Abbey Road Surgery?
6,721 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.4% on a year earlier.
What is Abbey Road Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in December 2023.
How many GPs does Abbey Road Surgery have?
5.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,303 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Abbey Road Surgery face to face?
75% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Abbey Road Surgery's phone number?
01229 821599.