Western Ave Medical Centre, Chester: patient reviews and CQC rating
Western Ave Medical Centre is a GP practice in Chester with 4,826 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 93% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Cheshire and Merseyside: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in August 2017. It has 1.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,806 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Western Ave Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 80%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 53%, against 54% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 8 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 3 within it.
On overall experience it is 1st of the 13 practices in Chester with 50 or more responses. 80% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points higher than in 2025 (91%). 106 patients answered the survey (response rate 22%).
| Survey question | Western Ave Medical Centre | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 93% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 80% | 57% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 72% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 53% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 97% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 88% | 73% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 87% | 73% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 98% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 98% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 98% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 96% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 95% of 19 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Western Ave Medical Centre is Good, published in August 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (March 2017).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
4,826 patients were registered at Western Ave Medical Centre in September 2026, up 3.5% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
15% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 1.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,806 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Cheshire and Merseyside's 1,971. The practice also has 1.2 nurses (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 1.7 | 1.7 |
| August 2024 | 1.7 | 1.7 |
| August 2025 | 1.7 | 1.7 |
| August 2026 | 1.7 | 2.8 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,216 appointments a month, or 459 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 83% were face to face (England: 63%). 41% took place on the day they were booked and 8% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
39% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 6% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Western Ave Medical Centre | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 459 | 492 | 510 |
| Face to face | 83% | 60% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 41% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 8% | 4% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 6% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for depression (27.3% against 14.3%), COPD (3.1% against 1.9%) and asthma (8.4% against 6.6%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.2% against 1.2%) and palliative or supportive care needs (0.1% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 40.0 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 80.8 years for women and 74.3 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 27.3% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 13.4% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.5% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.4% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.3% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.6% | 3.0% |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.1% | 3.8% |
| COPD | All ages | 3.1% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.1% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| 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 | 73.4% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 79.1% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 74.2% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 81.2% | 74.9% |
Western Ave Medical Centre, Gordon Road, Off Western Avenue, Blacon, Chester, CH1 5PA. Phone: 01244 390755. Website: www.westernavenue.org.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Drs Shergill, Fisher, Buck & Cooney | 2.5 km | 72% |
| City Walls and Saughall Medical Centres | 2.7 km | 68% |
| The Elms Medical Centre | 2.7 km | 84% |
| Northgate Medical Centre | 2.7 km | 80% |
| Fountains Medical Practice | 2.7 km | 85% |
- City Walls and Saughall Medical Centres (68% overall experience good)
- Drs Anderson and Khine (86% overall experience good)
- The Handbridge Medical Centre (82% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Western Ave Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 93% of patients described their overall experience of Western Ave Medical Centre as good, above the England figure of 77%. 80% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Western Ave Medical Centre?
4,826 patients were registered in September 2026, up 3.5% on a year earlier.
What is Western Ave Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in August 2017.
How many GPs does Western Ave Medical Centre have?
1.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (3 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,806 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Western Ave Medical Centre face to face?
83% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Western Ave Medical Centre's phone number?
01244 390755.