Ash Trees Surgery, Carnforth: patient reviews and CQC rating
Ash Trees Surgery is a GP practice in Carnforth with 23,849 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 82% 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 June 2018. It has 9.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,440 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Ash Trees Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who said they were treated with care and concern: 95%, above the England figure of 86%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 49%, against 54% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 3 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 8 within it.
65% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 18 points higher than in 2025 (64%). 123 patients answered the survey (response rate 40%).
| Survey question | Ash Trees Surgery | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 82% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 65% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 65% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 49% | 57% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 91% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 80% | 74% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 75% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 93% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 95% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 98% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 98% | 91% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Ash Trees Surgery is Good, published in June 2018. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (October 2017).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
23,849 patients were registered at Ash Trees Surgery in September 2026, down 2.3% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
33% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 9.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,440 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Lancashire and South Cumbria's 2,288. The practice also has 10.4 nurses and 6.8 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 9.8 | 13.9 |
| August 2024 | 9.8 | 13.9 |
| August 2025 | 9.8 | 13.0 |
| August 2026 | 9.8 | 13.0 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 12,367 appointments a month, or 519 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 62% were face to face (England: 63%). 40% took place on the day they were booked and 6% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
30% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 2% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Ash Trees Surgery | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 519 | 471 | 510 |
| Face to face | 62% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 40% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 6% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for osteoporosis (5.0% against 1.2%), dementia (1.6% against 0.8%) and peripheral arterial disease (1.1% against 0.6%). It has a lower share for a learning disability (0.3% against 0.6%) and serious mental illness (0.8% against 1.0%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 11.3 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.6 years for women and 80.8 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 20.2% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.8% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.3% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.6% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.7% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.5% | 4.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 5.0% | 1.2% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.6% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.8% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.1% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.6% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.5% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 83.1% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 81.4% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 74.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 76.0% | 74.9% |
Ash Trees Surgery, Market Street, Carnforth, LA5 9JU. Phone: 01524 720000. Website: www.ashtreessurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Lancaster Medical Practice | 9.3 km | 83% |
| Queen Square Medical Practice | 9.5 km | 75% |
| Drs Irving, Smith, Hacking & Rylance | 10.9 km | 85% |
| Nutwood Medical Practice | 11.6 km | 94% |
| Bay Medical Group | 12.7 km | 77% |
- Drs Irving, Smith, Hacking & Rylance (85% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Ash Trees Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 82% of patients described their overall experience of Ash Trees Surgery as good, against 77% across England. 65% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Ash Trees Surgery?
23,849 patients were registered in September 2026, down 2.3% on a year earlier.
What is Ash Trees Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in June 2018.
How many GPs does Ash Trees Surgery have?
9.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (14 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,440 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Ash Trees Surgery face to face?
62% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Ash Trees Surgery's phone number?
01524 720000.