Union Brae and Norham Practice, Berwick Upon Tweed: patient reviews and CQC rating
Union Brae and Norham Practice is a GP practice in Berwick Upon Tweed with 7,027 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 48% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77% (North East and North Cumbria: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in July 2019. It has 3.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,877 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Union Brae and Norham Practice
Its result closest to England is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 89%, against 93% across England. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 25%, below the England figure of 54%. Of the 11 results in the table, 0 are above England and 8 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 3 within it.
44% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 14 points lower than in 2025 (62%). 107 patients answered the survey (response rate 36%).
| Survey question | Union Brae and Norham Practice | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 48% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 44% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 34% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 25% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 60% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 45% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 60% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 77% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 70% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 89% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 86% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 85% of 55 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Union Brae and Norham Practice is Good, published in July 2019. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (November 2018).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
7,027 patients were registered at Union Brae and Norham Practice in September 2026, down 1.7% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
31% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,877 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. The practice also has 2.7 nurses and 2.3 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.9 | 4.9 |
| August 2024 | 3.9 | 4.7 |
| August 2025 | 3.9 | 4.7 |
| August 2026 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,247 appointments a month, or 462 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 68% were face to face (England: 63%). 24% took place on the day they were booked and 2% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
31% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Union Brae and Norham Practice | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 462 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 68% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 24% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 2% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for dementia (1.5% against 0.8%), stroke or TIA (3.5% against 1.9%) and COPD (3.3% against 1.9%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.3% against 1.2%) and depression (8.9% against 14.3%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 23.1 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 82.3 years for women and 78.6 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% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 10.0% | 7.9% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 8.9% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.8% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.5% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.8% | 3.0% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.6% | 4.6% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.5% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.4% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 3.3% | 1.9% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.9% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.5% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.9% | 1.1% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.3% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 78.3% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 76.6% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 67.0% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 70.3% | 74.9% |
100% of the practice's patients live in the TD15 postcode district. 100% live in Northumberland, the council area the practice is in.
| Postcode district | Registered patients | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TD15 | 6,891 | 100% |
Union Brae and Norham Practice, Union Brae, Tweedmouth, Berwick Upon Tweed, TD15 2HB. Phone: 01289 330333. Website: www.unionbrae.nhs.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Well Close Medical Group | 0.7 km | 83% |
| Belford Medical Practice | 22.3 km | 92% |
| Wooler Health | 24.5 km | 96% |
| Alnwick Medical Group | 44.3 km | 86% |
| NPC Rothbury | 51.5 km | 93% |
- Alnwick Medical Group (86% overall experience good)
- Belford Medical Practice (92% overall experience good)
- Drs O'Neill, Evans & Lunn (86% overall experience good)
- Greystoke Surgery (98% overall experience good)
- Well Close Medical Group (83% overall experience good)
- Wooler Health (96% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Union Brae and Norham Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 48% of patients described their overall experience of Union Brae and Norham Practice as good, below the England figure of 77%. 44% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Union Brae and Norham Practice?
7,027 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.7% on a year earlier.
What is Union Brae and Norham Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in July 2019.
How many GPs does Union Brae and Norham Practice have?
3.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (5 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,877 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Union Brae and Norham Practice face to face?
68% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Union Brae and Norham Practice's phone number?
01289 330333.