The Friendly Family Surgery, Chesterfield: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Friendly Family Surgery is a GP practice in Chesterfield with 3,729 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 95% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Derby and Derbyshire: 76%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in August 2021. It has 1.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,087 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Friendly Family Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 79%, above the England figure of 57%. Its result closest to England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 63%, against 58% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 9 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 2 within it.
On overall experience it is 3rd of the 20 practices in Chesterfield with 50 or more responses. 79% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 5 points higher than in 2025 (90%). 98 patients answered the survey (response rate 30%).
| Survey question | The Friendly Family Surgery | Derby and Derbyshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 95% | 76% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 79% | 51% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 63% | 53% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 72% | 46% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 99% | 84% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 90% | 68% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 87% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 95% | 87% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 99% | 86% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 100% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 98% | 90% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 100% of 23 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for The Friendly Family Surgery is Good, published in August 2021. All 5 key questions are rated Good. Its previous overall rating was Requires Improvement (February 2020).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
3,729 patients were registered at The Friendly Family Surgery in September 2026, up 0.8% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
27% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 1.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,087 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Derby and Derbyshire's 2,105. The practice also has 0.7 nurses and 0.9 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 2.2 | 2.2 |
| August 2024 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
| August 2025 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
| August 2026 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,497 appointments a month, or 670 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 72% were face to face (England: 63%). 31% took place on the day they were booked and 6% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
58% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Friendly Family Surgery | Derby and Derbyshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 670 | 523 | 510 |
| Face to face | 72% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 31% | 39% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 6% | 9% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for palliative or supportive care needs (1.5% against 0.6%), peripheral arterial disease (1.1% against 0.6%) and chronic kidney disease (8.4% against 4.6%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.3% against 1.2%) and depression (8.6% against 14.3%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 27.7 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 81.2 years for women and 77.5 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 21.8% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 13.7% | 7.9% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 8.6% | 14.3% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 8.4% | 4.6% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 5.9% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.6% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.5% | 3.0% |
| COPD | All ages | 3.1% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.9% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.3% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 67.8% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 75.0% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 71.4% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 76.4% | 74.9% |
The Friendly Family Surgery, Welbeck Road, Bolsover, Chesterfield, S44 6DE. Phone: 01246 826815. Website: www.friendlyfamilysurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Welbeck Road Health Centre | 0.2 km | 81% |
| Castle Street Medical Centre | 0.3 km | 91% |
| Whitwell Health Centre | 5.5 km | 84% |
| The Springs Health Centre | 5.5 km | 89% |
| Shires Health Care | 5.8 km | 87% |
- Castle Street Medical Centre (91% overall experience good)
- Creswell and Langwith Primary Care Services (81% overall experience good)
- Emmett Carr Surgery (72% overall experience good)
- Shires Health Care (87% overall experience good)
- Welbeck Road Health Centre (81% overall experience good)
- Whitwell Health Centre (84% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Friendly Family Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 95% of patients described their overall experience of The Friendly Family Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 79% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Friendly Family Surgery?
3,729 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.8% on a year earlier.
What is The Friendly Family Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in August 2021.
How many GPs does The Friendly Family Surgery have?
1.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (2 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,087 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Friendly Family Surgery face to face?
72% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Friendly Family Surgery's phone number?
01246 826815.