The Gables Medical Group, Bedlington: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Gables Medical Group is a GP practice in Bedlington with 6,253 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 77% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (North East and North Cumbria: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in April 2016. It has 3.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,634 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Gables Medical Group
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 74%, above the England figure of 58%. Its weakest is the share who said the healthcare professional was good at listening to them: 80%, below the England figure of 87%. Of the 11 results in the table, 3 are above England and 3 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 5 within it.
72% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 12 points lower than in 2025 (89%). 114 patients answered the survey (response rate 28%).
| Survey question | The Gables Medical Group | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 77% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 72% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 74% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 58% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 87% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 81% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 74% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 80% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 80% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 86% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 85% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 100% of 18 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for The Gables Medical Group is Good, published in April 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
6,253 patients were registered at The Gables Medical Group in September 2026, down 1.0% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
23% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,634 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. The practice also has 1.7 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 | 3.7 | 4.6 |
| August 2024 | 3.4 | 4.4 |
| August 2025 | 3.4 | 4.0 |
| August 2026 | 3.8 | 5.9 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,301 appointments a month, or 528 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 96% were face to face (England: 63%). 19% took place on the day they were booked and 3% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
39% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 6% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Gables Medical Group | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 528 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 96% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 19% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 3% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 6% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for peripheral arterial disease (1.4% against 0.6%), dementia (1.9% against 0.8%) and COPD (4.2% against 1.9%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.2% against 1.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 31.5 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 80.2 years for women and 75.8 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 19.5% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.2% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 11.5% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.9% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.0% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 5.2% | 3.0% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.5% | 3.8% |
| COPD | All ages | 4.2% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.3% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.8% | 1.9% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.9% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.8% | 1.1% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.4% | 1.0% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.2% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 73.9% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 74.5% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 70.8% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 74.4% | 74.9% |
The Gables Medical Group, The Gables Health Centre, 26 St Johns Road, Bedlington, NE22 7DU. Phone: 01670 829889. Website: www.gablesmedicalgroup.nhs.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Bedlingtonshire Medical Group | 2.4 km | 91% |
| Guidepost Medical Group | 3.1 km | 76% |
| Seaton Park Medical Group | 3.4 km | 78% |
| Marine Medical Group | 3.5 km | 83% |
| Gatacre Street Surgery | 3.5 km | 71% |
- Bedlingtonshire Medical Group (91% overall experience good)
- Guidepost Medical Group (76% overall experience good)
- Seaton Park Medical Group (78% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Gables Medical Group?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 77% of patients described their overall experience of The Gables Medical Group as good, against 77% across England. 72% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Gables Medical Group?
6,253 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.0% on a year earlier.
What is The Gables Medical Group's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in April 2016.
How many GPs does The Gables Medical Group have?
3.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,634 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Gables Medical Group face to face?
96% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Gables Medical Group's phone number?
01670 829889.