Fountains Medical Practice, Chester: patient reviews and CQC rating
Fountains Medical Practice is a GP practice in Chester with 4,530 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 85% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Cheshire and Merseyside: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in August 2018. It has 3.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,322 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Fountains Medical Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 66%, against 54% across England. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 30%, below the England figure of 58%. Of the 11 results in the table, 1 is above England and 3 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 7 within it.
On overall experience it is 5th of the 13 practices in Chester with 50 or more responses. 56% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 6 points higher than in 2025 (79%). 103 patients answered the survey (response rate 18%).
| Survey question | Fountains Medical Practice | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 85% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 56% | 57% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 30% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 66% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 88% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 77% | 73% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 79% | 73% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 84% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 85% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 86% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 84% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 95% of 43 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Fountains Medical Practice 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 |
4,530 patients were registered at Fountains Medical Practice in September 2026, up 5.2% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
31% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,322 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Cheshire and Merseyside's 1,971. The practice also has 0.8 nurses and 6.7 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 2.7 | 3.7 |
| August 2024 | 1.7 | 3.4 |
| August 2025 | 2.8 | 3.7 |
| August 2026 | 3.4 | 4.5 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,357 appointments a month, or 1,183 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 59% were face to face (England: 63%). 60% took place on the day they were booked and 2% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
42% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 7% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Fountains Medical Practice | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 1,183 | 492 | 510 |
| Face to face | 59% | 60% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 60% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 2% | 4% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 7% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for dementia (11.3% against 0.8%), palliative or supportive care needs (4.0% against 0.6%) and osteoporosis (4.7% against 1.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 17.4 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 82.9 years for women and 77.6 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 22.3% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 17.6% | 14.3% |
| Dementia | All ages | 11.3% | 0.8% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.6% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.8% | 4.6% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.4% | 6.6% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 6.4% | 1.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.3% | 3.8% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 6.2% | 2.2% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 5.8% | 3.0% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 4.7% | 1.2% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 4.2% | 1.1% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 4.0% | 0.6% |
| COPD | All ages | 3.5% | 1.9% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 3.2% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 2.0% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.7% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.7% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 66.1% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 72.7% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 70.5% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 64.6% | 74.9% |
Fountains Medical Practice, Fountains Health, Delamere Street, Chester, CH1 4DS. Phone: 01244 325721.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Elms Medical Centre | 0.0 km | 84% |
| Northgate Medical Centre | 0.0 km | 80% |
| Northgate Village Surgery | 0.0 km | 81% |
| St Werburgh’s Medical Practice for the Homeless | 0.2 km | 100% |
| Drs Shergill, Fisher, Buck & Cooney | 0.2 km | 72% |
- Drs Shergill, Fisher, Buck & Cooney (72% overall experience good)
- Northgate Medical Centre (80% overall experience good)
- Northgate Village Surgery (81% overall experience good)
- St Werburgh’s Medical Practice for the Homeless (100% overall experience good)
- The Elms Medical Centre (84% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Fountains Medical Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 85% of patients described their overall experience of Fountains Medical Practice as good, against 77% across England. 56% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Fountains Medical Practice?
4,530 patients were registered in September 2026, up 5.2% on a year earlier.
What is Fountains Medical Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in August 2018.
How many GPs does Fountains Medical Practice have?
3.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (5 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,322 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Fountains Medical Practice face to face?
59% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Fountains Medical Practice's phone number?
01244 325721.