FirstCare Practice, Birmingham: patient reviews and CQC rating
FirstCare Practice is a GP practice in Birmingham with 7,803 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 58% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77% (Birmingham and Solihull: 73%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in January 2019. It has 4.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,944 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about FirstCare Practice
Its result closest to England is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 91%, against 93% across England. Its weakest is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 41%, below the England figure of 69%. 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.
On overall experience it is 156th of the 171 practices in Birmingham with 50 or more responses. 39% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 12 points lower than in 2025 (70%). 99 patients answered the survey (response rate 9%).
| Survey question | FirstCare Practice | Birmingham and Solihull | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 58% | 73% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 39% | 51% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 38% | 51% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 43% | 51% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 78% | 81% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 54% | 68% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 41% | 68% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 80% | 84% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 77% | 84% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 91% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 85% | 89% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for FirstCare Practice is Good, published in January 2019. One key question is rated differently: Responsive Requires Improvement.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Requires Improvement |
| Effective | Good |
7,803 patients were registered at FirstCare Practice in September 2026, down 0.7% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
8% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 4.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,944 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Birmingham and Solihull's 1,990. The practice also has 0.7 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.3 | 4.4 |
| August 2024 | 3.3 | 4.4 |
| August 2025 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| August 2026 | 4.0 | 5.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 4,846 appointments a month, or 621 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 63% were face to face (England: 63%). 55% took place on the day they were booked and 4% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
81% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | FirstCare Practice | Birmingham and Solihull | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 621 | 532 | 510 |
| Face to face | 63% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 55% | 50% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 4% | 3% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 6% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for serious mental illness (1.7% against 1.0%), diabetes (12.4% against 7.9%) and a learning disability (0.9% against 0.6%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.1% against 1.2%), palliative or supportive care needs (0.1% against 0.6%) and atrial fibrillation (0.3% against 2.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 51.1 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 81.8 years for women and 75.3 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 12.4% | 7.9% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 12.1% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 8.4% | 15.2% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.2% | 6.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.2% | 3.0% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 2.0% | 4.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.7% | 1.0% |
| Cancer | All ages | 1.1% | 3.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 0.7% | 1.9% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| COPD | All ages | 0.4% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 0.3% | 2.2% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.3% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.1% | 1.2% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 45.8% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 54.3% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 45.7% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 64.8% | 74.9% |
FirstCare Practice, Balsall Heath Health Centre, 43 Edward Road, Balsall Heath, Birmingham, B12 9LP. Phone: 0121 440 4666. Website: www.firstcaremedicalpractice.nhs.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Walji and Colleagues | 0.0 km | 85% |
| Balsall Heath Health Centre | 0.0 km | 79% |
| Strensham Road Surgery | 0.5 km | 78% |
| The Wand Medical Centre | 0.8 km | 78% |
| Highgate Medical Centre | 0.8 km | 87% |
- Balsall Heath Health Centre (79% overall experience good)
- Dr Walji and Colleagues (85% overall experience good)
- Fernley Medical Centre (81% overall experience good)
- Highgate Medical Centre (87% overall experience good)
- Oakwood Surgery (70% overall experience good)
- Springfield Medical Practice (60% overall experience good)
- The Brook Surgery (79% overall experience good)
- The Hill GP Practice (83% overall experience good)
How do patients rate FirstCare Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 58% of patients described their overall experience of FirstCare Practice as good, below the England figure of 77%. 39% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at FirstCare Practice?
7,803 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.7% on a year earlier.
What is FirstCare Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in January 2019.
How many GPs does FirstCare Practice have?
4.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (8 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,944 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at FirstCare Practice face to face?
63% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is FirstCare Practice's phone number?
0121 440 4666.