Abbey-Dale Medical Centre, Blackpool: patient reviews and CQC rating
Abbey-Dale Medical Centre is a GP practice in Blackpool with 5,687 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 86% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Lancashire and South Cumbria: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in April 2016. It has 3.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,838 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Abbey-Dale Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 78%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 45%, against 58% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 4 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 7 within it.
On overall experience it is 2nd of the 15 practices in Blackpool with 50 or more responses. 78% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 8 points higher than in 2025 (78%). 99 patients answered the survey (response rate 21%).
| Survey question | Abbey-Dale Medical Centre | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 86% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 78% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 45% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 55% | 57% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 98% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 86% | 74% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 79% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 90% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 91% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 89% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 97% of 91 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Abbey-Dale Medical Centre is Good, published in April 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
5,687 patients were registered at Abbey-Dale Medical Centre in September 2026, down 2.0% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
21% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,838 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Lancashire and South Cumbria's 2,288. The practice also has 1.7 nurses and 1.9 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 2.7 | 2.7 |
| August 2024 | 2.7 | 2.7 |
| August 2025 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| August 2026 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,567 appointments a month, or 451 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 67% were face to face (England: 63%). 35% took place on the day they were booked and 4% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
43% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Abbey-Dale Medical Centre | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 451 | 471 | 510 |
| Face to face | 67% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 35% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 4% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for osteoporosis (4.0% against 1.2%), COPD (4.2% against 1.9%) and peripheral arterial disease (1.1% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 33.6 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 80.8 years for women and 76.1 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 24.2% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 18.5% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.2% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.1% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.5% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.7% | 3.0% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.4% | 3.8% |
| COPD | All ages | 4.2% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 4.0% | 1.2% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.7% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.8% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.6% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.4% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 70.3% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 64.3% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 68.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 71.3% | 74.9% |
Abbey-Dale Medical Centre, Abbey Dale Medical Centre, 50 Common Edge Road, Marton, Blackpool, FY4 5AU. Phone: 01253 696696. Website: www.abbey-dale.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Arnold Medical Centre | 0.9 km | 90% |
| Stonyhill Medical Practice | 1.7 km | 81% |
| Highfield Surgery Partnership | 1.7 km | 76% |
| Waterloo Medical Centre | 1.7 km | 77% |
| Bloomfield Medical Centre | 2.2 km | 74% |
- Arnold Medical Centre (90% overall experience good)
- Highfield Surgery Partnership (76% overall experience good)
- Stonyhill Medical Practice (81% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Abbey-Dale Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 86% of patients described their overall experience of Abbey-Dale Medical Centre as good, above the England figure of 77%. 78% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Abbey-Dale Medical Centre?
5,687 patients were registered in September 2026, down 2.0% on a year earlier.
What is Abbey-Dale Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in April 2016.
How many GPs does Abbey-Dale Medical Centre have?
3.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (4 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,838 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Abbey-Dale Medical Centre face to face?
67% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Abbey-Dale Medical Centre's phone number?
01253 696696.