Belford Medical Practice, Belford: patient reviews and CQC rating
Belford Medical Practice is a GP practice in Belford with 4,500 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 92% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (North East and North Cumbria: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in September 2018. It has 3.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,250 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Belford Medical Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 98%, above the England figure of 54%. Its result closest to England is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 94%, against 93% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 8 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 3 within it.
92% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 1 point higher than in 2025 (91%). 110 patients answered the survey (response rate 41%).
| Survey question | Belford Medical Practice | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 92% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 92% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 84% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 98% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 95% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 93% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 84% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 96% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 92% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 94% | 91% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Belford Medical Practice is Good, published in September 2018. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (April 2018).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
4,500 patients were registered at Belford Medical Practice in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
39% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,250 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. The practice also has 1.9 nurses and 4.4 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 4.5 | 5.9 |
| August 2024 | 4.0 | 4.9 |
| August 2025 | 3.2 | 4.3 |
| August 2026 | 3.6 | 4.5 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,702 appointments a month, or 600 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 56% were face to face (England: 63%). 39% took place on the day they were booked and 3% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
50% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 2% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Belford Medical Practice | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 600 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 56% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 39% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 3% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for atrial fibrillation (4.3% against 2.2%), stroke or TIA (3.5% against 1.9%) and cancer (6.8% against 3.8%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.1% against 1.2%) and depression (10.0% against 14.3%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 20.8 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 85.2 years for women and 82.3 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 23.9% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 10.0% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.8% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.8% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.8% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.5% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 4.3% | 2.2% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.2% | 4.6% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.5% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.8% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.8% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.1% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 81.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 77.2% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 81.7% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 80.2% | 74.9% |
Belford Medical Practice, Croft Field, Belford, NE70 7ER. Phone: 01668 213738.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Wooler Health | 13.3 km | 96% |
| Alnwick Medical Group | 22.2 km | 86% |
| Union Brae and Norham Practice | 22.3 km | 48% |
| Well Close Medical Group | 22.6 km | 83% |
| NPC Rothbury | 32.6 km | 93% |
- Alnwick Medical Group (86% overall experience good)
- Drs O'Neill, Evans & Lunn (86% overall experience good)
- Greystoke Surgery (98% overall experience good)
- Union Brae and Norham Practice (48% overall experience good)
- Well Close Medical Group (83% overall experience good)
- Wooler Health (96% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Belford Medical Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 92% of patients described their overall experience of Belford Medical Practice as good, above the England figure of 77%. 92% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Belford Medical Practice?
4,500 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.1% on a year earlier.
What is Belford Medical Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in September 2018.
How many GPs does Belford Medical Practice have?
3.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (5 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,250 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Belford Medical Practice face to face?
56% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Belford Medical Practice's phone number?
01668 213738.