Bishops Castle Medical Practice, Bishops Castle: patient reviews and CQC rating
Bishops Castle Medical Practice is a GP practice in Bishops Castle with 5,670 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 95% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin: 77%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in January 2020. It has 2.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,726 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Bishops Castle Medical Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 93%, above the England figure of 57%. Its result closest to England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 63%, against 58% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 9 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 2 within it.
93% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 1 point higher than in 2025 (94%). 116 patients answered the survey (response rate 41%).
| Survey question | Bishops Castle Medical Practice | Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 95% | 77% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 93% | 53% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 63% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 71% | 59% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 96% | 85% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 94% | 72% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 79% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 97% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 95% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 99% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 98% | 90% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 97% of 214 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Bishops Castle Medical Practice is Good, published in January 2020. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
5,670 patients were registered at Bishops Castle Medical Practice in September 2026, up 0.6% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
33% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,726 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin's 2,191. The practice also has 3.1 nurses and 0.8 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| August 2024 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| August 2025 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| August 2026 | 2.1 | 2.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,333 appointments a month, or 588 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 68% were face to face (England: 63%). 44% took place on the day they were booked and 6% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
38% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Bishops Castle Medical Practice | Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 588 | 498 | 510 |
| Face to face | 68% | 63% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 44% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 6% | 4% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for stroke or TIA (3.3% against 1.9%), atrial fibrillation (3.8% against 2.2%) and chronic kidney disease (7.6% against 4.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 23.8 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 86.0 years for women and 81.5 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 20.5% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.2% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.9% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.6% | 4.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.8% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.2% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.2% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.8% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.3% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.7% | 1.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.6% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.5% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 77.2% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 81.5% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 75.0% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 80.4% | 74.9% |
Bishops Castle Medical Practice, School House Lane, Bishops Castle, SY9 5ER. Phone: 01588 638285.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| OHP-The Meadows Medical Practice | 8.3 km | 91% |
| OHP-Craven Arms Medical Practice | 12.3 km | 96% |
| Church Stretton Medical Practice | 13.6 km | 82% |
| Pontesbury & Worthen Medical Practice | 18.8 km | 89% |
| Westbury Medical Centre | 20.6 km | 79% |
- Church Stretton Medical Practice (82% overall experience good)
- OHP Ludlow-Portcullis Surgery (90% overall experience good)
- OHP-Craven Arms Medical Practice (96% overall experience good)
- OHP-The Meadows Medical Practice (91% overall experience good)
- Station Drive Surgery (83% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Bishops Castle Medical Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 95% of patients described their overall experience of Bishops Castle Medical Practice as good, above the England figure of 77%. 93% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Bishops Castle Medical Practice?
5,670 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.6% on a year earlier.
What is Bishops Castle Medical Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in January 2020.
How many GPs does Bishops Castle Medical Practice have?
2.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (5 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,726 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Bishops Castle Medical Practice face to face?
68% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Bishops Castle Medical Practice's phone number?
01588 638285.