Bishopgate Medical Centre, Bishop Auckland: patient reviews and CQC rating
Bishopgate Medical Centre is a GP practice in Bishop Auckland with 13,583 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 90% 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 May 2016. It has 4.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 3,276 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Bishopgate Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 92%, above the England figure of 69%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 53%, against 54% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 7 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 4 within it.
On overall experience it is 4th of the 7 practices in Bishop Auckland with 50 or more responses. 65% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is unchanged from 2025 (90%). 108 patients answered the survey (response rate 25%).
| Survey question | Bishopgate Medical Centre | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 90% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 65% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 68% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 53% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 88% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 84% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 92% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 96% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 96% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 99% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 98% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 100% of 13 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Bishopgate Medical Centre is Good, published in May 2016. One key question is rated differently: Caring Outstanding.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Outstanding |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
13,583 patients were registered at Bishopgate Medical Centre in September 2026, down 0.8% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
22% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 4.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 3,276 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. The practice also has 9.5 nurses and 4.2 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 4.3 | 6.4 |
| August 2024 | 4.3 | 5.3 |
| August 2025 | 4.3 | 5.1 |
| August 2026 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 7,711 appointments a month, or 568 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 80% were face to face (England: 63%). 44% took place on the day they were booked and 5% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
21% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Bishopgate Medical Centre | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 568 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 80% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 44% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 5% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for peripheral arterial disease (1.1% against 0.6%), heart failure (1.9% against 1.1%) and COPD (3.2% against 1.9%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.4% against 1.2%), chronic kidney disease (2.8% against 4.6%) and depression (8.9% against 14.3%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 38.8 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 79.5 years for women and 75.4 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 17.9% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 11.5% | 7.9% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 8.9% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.5% | 6.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.2% | 3.0% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.2% | 3.8% |
| COPD | All ages | 3.2% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.1% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.0% | 1.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 2.8% | 4.6% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.9% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.2% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.4% | 1.2% |
| 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 | 72.5% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 75.2% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 74.8% | 74.9% |
Bishopgate Medical Centre, 178 Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland, DL14 7EJ. Phone: 01388 660990. Website: www.bishopgate.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Station View Medical Centre | 0.3 km | 83% |
| Auckland Medical Group | 1.2 km | 88% |
| Hallgarth Surgery | 3.4 km | 76% |
| Willington Medical Group | 5.8 km | 87% |
| Bishop's Close Medical Practice | 6.7 km | 82% |
- Auckland Medical Group (88% overall experience good)
- Station View Medical Centre (83% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Bishopgate Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 90% of patients described their overall experience of Bishopgate Medical Centre as good, above the England figure of 77%. 65% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Bishopgate Medical Centre?
13,583 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.8% on a year earlier.
What is Bishopgate Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in May 2016.
How many GPs does Bishopgate Medical Centre have?
4.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (7 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 3,276 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Bishopgate Medical Centre face to face?
80% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Bishopgate Medical Centre's phone number?
01388 660990.