Limefield and Cherry Tree Surgeries, Blackburn: patient reviews and CQC rating
Limefield and Cherry Tree Surgeries is a GP practice in Blackburn with 4,756 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 79% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Lancashire and South Cumbria: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in July 2019. It has 1.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 4,459 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Limefield and Cherry Tree Surgeries
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 76%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 46%, against 58% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 2 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 9 within it.
On overall experience it is 5th of the 20 practices in Blackburn with 50 or more responses. 76% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 3 points lower than in 2025 (82%). 99 patients answered the survey (response rate 18%).
| Survey question | Limefield and Cherry Tree Surgeries | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 79% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 76% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 46% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 47% | 57% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 79% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 73% | 74% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 87% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 86% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 88% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 92% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 92% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 95% of 55 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Limefield and Cherry Tree Surgeries is Good, published in July 2019. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (April 2018).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
4,756 patients were registered at Limefield and Cherry Tree Surgeries in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
15% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 1.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 4,459 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Lancashire and South Cumbria's 2,288. The practice also has 0.4 nurses and 0.1 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| August 2024 | 1.1 | 2.1 |
| August 2025 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| August 2026 | 1.1 | 2.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 1,624 appointments a month, or 342 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 83% were face to face (England: 63%). 59% took place on the day they were booked and 2% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
37% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 6% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Limefield and Cherry Tree Surgeries | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 342 | 471 | 510 |
| Face to face | 83% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 59% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 2% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 6% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for serious mental illness (1.5% against 1.0%) and coronary heart disease (3.8% against 3.0%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.2% against 1.2%), palliative or supportive care needs (0.1% against 0.6%) and chronic kidney disease (1.8% against 4.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 32.6 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 81.4 years for women and 77.3 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 12.1% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 11.2% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.1% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 5.4% | 6.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.8% | 3.0% |
| Cancer | All ages | 2.9% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 1.8% | 4.6% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.7% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.7% | 2.2% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.5% | 1.0% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.1% | 1.9% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.8% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.2% | 1.2% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 70.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 66.7% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 50.0% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 65.6% | 74.9% |
Limefield and Cherry Tree Surgeries, 293 Preston New Road, Blackburn, BB2 6PL. Phone: 01254 617630.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Redlam Surgery | 0.8 km | 83% |
| Oakenhurst Medical Practice | 1.0 km | 84% |
| The Family Practice | 1.0 km | 58% |
| Witton Medical Centre | 1.1 km | 91% |
| Olive Medical Practice | 1.3 km | 63% |
- Little Harwood Health Centre (72% overall experience good)
- Oakenhurst Medical Practice (84% overall experience good)
- Redlam Surgery (83% overall experience good)
- The Family Practice (58% overall experience good)
- Witton Medical Centre (91% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Limefield and Cherry Tree Surgeries?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 79% of patients described their overall experience of Limefield and Cherry Tree Surgeries as good, against 77% across England. 76% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Limefield and Cherry Tree Surgeries?
4,756 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.4% on a year earlier.
What is Limefield and Cherry Tree Surgeries's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in July 2019.
How many GPs does Limefield and Cherry Tree Surgeries have?
1.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (1 qualified GP by headcount), which is 4,459 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Limefield and Cherry Tree Surgeries face to face?
83% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Limefield and Cherry Tree Surgeries's phone number?
01254 617630.