Atkinson Health Centre Practice, Barrow -in-Furness: patient reviews and CQC rating
Atkinson Health Centre Practice is a GP practice in Barrow -in-Furness with 6,569 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 86% 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 February 2024. It has 2.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,281 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Atkinson Health Centre Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 73%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 45%, against 58% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 4 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 7 within it.
On overall experience it is 1st of the 7 practices in Barrow In Furness with 50 or more responses. 73% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 9 points higher than in 2025 (77%). 110 patients answered the survey (response rate 25%).
| Survey question | Atkinson Health Centre Practice | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 86% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 73% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 45% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 51% | 57% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 94% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 77% | 74% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 65% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 90% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 94% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 97% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 94% | 91% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Atkinson Health Centre Practice is Good, published in February 2024. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (September 2022).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
6,569 patients were registered at Atkinson Health Centre Practice in September 2026, up 2.9% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
20% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,281 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Lancashire and South Cumbria's 2,288. The practice also has 0.7 nurses and 1.9 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 2.9 | 5.7 |
| August 2024 | 2.9 | 3.7 |
| August 2025 | 2.9 | 6.1 |
| August 2026 | 2.9 | 3.7 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,460 appointments a month, or 527 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 94% were face to face (England: 63%). 44% took place on the day they were booked and 11% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
63% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Atkinson Health Centre Practice | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 527 | 471 | 510 |
| Face to face | 94% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 44% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 11% | 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 (1.1% against 0.6%), epilepsy (1.5% against 0.8%) and depression (24.9% against 14.3%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 33.2 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 79.7 years for women and 75.4 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 24.9% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 17.9% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.7% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.3% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.1% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.7% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.0% | 3.0% |
| COPD | All ages | 3.3% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.8% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.9% | 1.2% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.8% | 1.1% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.5% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.4% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.2% | 1.0% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 73.3% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 74.8% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 70.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 72.4% | 74.9% |
Atkinson Health Centre Practice, Alfred Barrow Health Centre, Duke Street, Barrow -in-Furness, LA14 2LB. Phone: 01229 822205.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Abbey Road Surgery | 0.0 km | 88% |
| 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% |
- Abbey Road Surgery (88% 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 Atkinson Health Centre Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 86% of patients described their overall experience of Atkinson Health Centre Practice as good, above the England figure of 77%. 73% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Atkinson Health Centre Practice?
6,569 patients were registered in September 2026, up 2.9% on a year earlier.
What is Atkinson Health Centre Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in February 2024.
How many GPs does Atkinson Health Centre Practice have?
2.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (4 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,281 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Atkinson Health Centre Practice face to face?
94% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Atkinson Health Centre Practice's phone number?
01229 822205.