Pinfold Medical Practice, Bishop Auckland: patient reviews and CQC rating
Pinfold Medical Practice is a GP practice in Bishop Auckland with 2,854 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 91% 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 August 2016. It has 1.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,531 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Pinfold Medical Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 87%, above the England figure of 57%. Its result closest to England is the share who found the reception and administrative team helpful: 90%, against 85% 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 3rd of the 7 practices in Bishop Auckland with 50 or more responses. 87% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points higher than in 2025 (89%). 98 patients answered the survey (response rate 33%).
| Survey question | Pinfold Medical Practice | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 91% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 87% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 65% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 71% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 90% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 81% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 80% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 94% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 96% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 98% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 96% | 91% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Pinfold Medical Practice is Good, published in August 2016. One key question is rated differently: Caring Outstanding.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Outstanding |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
2,854 patients were registered at Pinfold Medical Practice in September 2026, down 1.2% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
27% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 1.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,531 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. The practice also has 0.7 nurses (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| August 2024 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| August 2025 | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| August 2026 | 1.9 | 1.9 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 1,976 appointments a month, or 692 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 63% were face to face (England: 63%). 35% took place on the day they were booked and 7% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
55% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Pinfold Medical Practice | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 692 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 63% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 35% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 7% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for palliative or supportive care needs (1.2% against 0.6%), osteoporosis (2.2% against 1.2%) and atrial fibrillation (3.2% against 2.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 28.1 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.7 years for women and 78.2 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 19.9% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 15.8% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 10.8% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.9% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.8% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.5% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.3% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.2% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.4% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 2.2% | 1.2% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.3% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.3% | 1.1% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 79.9% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 79.0% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 81.4% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 82.3% | 74.9% |
Pinfold Medical Practice, Pinfold Lane, Butterknowle, Bishop Auckland, DL13 5NX. Phone: 01388 718230. Website: www.pinfoldmedical.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Woodview Medical Practice | 2.6 km | 95% |
| Evenwood Medical Practice | 5.0 km | 93% |
| Barnard Castle Surgery | 10.4 km | 84% |
| Auckland Medical Group | 10.4 km | 88% |
| Station View Medical Centre | 10.7 km | 83% |
- Barnard Castle Surgery (84% overall experience good)
- Evenwood Medical Practice (93% overall experience good)
- Gainford Surgery (100% overall experience good)
- Old Forge Surgery (90% overall experience good)
- Woodview Medical Practice (95% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Pinfold Medical Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 91% of patients described their overall experience of Pinfold Medical Practice as good, above the England figure of 77%. 87% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Pinfold Medical Practice?
2,854 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.2% on a year earlier.
What is Pinfold Medical Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in August 2016.
How many GPs does Pinfold Medical Practice have?
1.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (3 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,531 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Pinfold Medical Practice face to face?
63% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Pinfold Medical Practice's phone number?
01388 718230.