Cornerstone Surgery, Bolton: patient reviews and CQC rating
Cornerstone Surgery is a GP practice in Bolton with 4,147 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% (Greater Manchester: 79%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in August 2018. It has 1.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 3,617 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Cornerstone Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 74%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 47%, 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 13th of the 48 practices in Bolton with 50 or more responses. 74% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 7 points higher than in 2025 (79%). 106 patients answered the survey (response rate 22%).
| Survey question | Cornerstone Surgery | Greater Manchester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 86% | 79% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 74% | 63% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 47% | 61% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 60% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 92% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 77% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 80% | 71% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 91% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 90% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 94% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 97% of 29 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Cornerstone Surgery is Good, published in August 2018. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
4,147 patients were registered at Cornerstone Surgery in September 2026, down 0.8% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
16% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 1.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 3,617 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Greater Manchester's 2,055. The practice also has 0.2 nurses and 0.7 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| August 2024 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| August 2025 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
| August 2026 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 1,878 appointments a month, or 453 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 58% were face to face (England: 63%). 31% took place on the day they were booked and 2% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
43% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 8% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Cornerstone Surgery | Greater Manchester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 453 | 445 | 510 |
| Face to face | 58% | 66% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 31% | 44% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 2% | 5% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 8% | 6% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a lower share of patients for osteoporosis (0.2% against 1.2%), heart failure (0.4% against 1.1%) and coronary heart disease (1.7% against 3.0%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 28.5 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 82.0 years for women and 76.5 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 15.1% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.0% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.5% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.1% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.0% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 2.6% | 3.8% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 1.7% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.6% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.3% | 2.2% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.2% | 1.0% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.4% | 1.1% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.2% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 73.0% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 77.3% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 73.9% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 77.6% | 74.9% |
Cornerstone Surgery, 469 Chorley Old Road, Bolton, BL1 6AH. Phone: 01204 325125. Website: www.cornerstonesurgery.nhs.uk/index.aspx.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Dalefield Surgery | 0.4 km | 78% |
| Spring House Surgery | 0.4 km | 81% |
| Heaton Medical Centre | 0.8 km | 79% |
| Dr Karim & Dr James-Authe | 0.8 km | 75% |
| Halliwell Surgery 3 | 1.7 km | 81% |
- Dalefield Surgery (78% overall experience good)
- Dr Karim & Dr James-Authe (75% overall experience good)
- Heaton Medical Centre (79% overall experience good)
- Spring House Surgery (81% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Cornerstone Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 86% of patients described their overall experience of Cornerstone Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 74% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Cornerstone Surgery?
4,147 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.8% on a year earlier.
What is Cornerstone Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in August 2018.
How many GPs does Cornerstone Surgery have?
1.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (3 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 3,617 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Cornerstone Surgery face to face?
58% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Cornerstone Surgery's phone number?
01204 325125.