The Practice Old Hill, Cradley Heath: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Practice Old Hill is a GP practice in Cradley Heath with 3,815 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 71% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Black Country: 74%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in October 2022. It has 1.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,649 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Practice Old Hill
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 66%, against 57% across England. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 34%, below the England figure of 58%. Of the 11 results in the table, 0 are above England and 2 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 9 within it.
On overall experience it is 3rd of the 3 practices in Cradley Heath with 50 or more responses. 66% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 11 points lower than in 2025 (82%). 86 patients answered the survey (response rate 15%).
| Survey question | The Practice Old Hill | Black Country | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 71% | 74% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 66% | 53% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 34% | 54% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 42% | 54% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 87% | 81% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 63% | 68% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 68% | 65% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 88% | 85% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 89% | 84% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 89% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 87% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 89% of 101 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for The Practice Old Hill is Good, published in October 2022. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (February 2017).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
3,815 patients were registered at The Practice Old Hill in September 2026, up 2.1% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
12% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 1.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,649 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Black Country's 2,193. The practice also has 0.4 nurses and 0.8 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
| August 2024 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| August 2025 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| August 2026 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,044 appointments a month, or 536 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 55% were face to face (England: 63%). 29% took place on the day they were booked and 1% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
39% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 8% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Practice Old Hill | Black Country | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 536 | 561 | 510 |
| Face to face | 55% | 64% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 29% | 51% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 1% | 4% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 8% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a lower share of patients for cancer (1.5% against 3.8%), atrial fibrillation (1.4% against 2.2%) and coronary heart disease (2.0% against 3.0%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 33.3 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 82.0 years for women and 76.8 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.4% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 13.0% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.6% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.5% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.9% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.0% | 3.0% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 1.5% | 3.8% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.4% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.2% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.1% | 1.2% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.8% | 1.1% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 61.1% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 66.7% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 68.1% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 74.3% | 74.9% |
The Practice Old Hill, Priest House (Ground Floor), Priest Street, Cradley Heath, B64 6JN. Phone: 01384 566479. Website: www.thepracticeoldhill.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Church View Surgery | 0.1 km | 85% |
| Haden Vale Medical Practice | 1.0 km | 79% |
| Your Health Partnership (YHP) | 1.4 km | 46% |
| Anchor Medical Practice | 1.8 km | 89% |
| Links Medical Practice | 1.8 km | 86% |
- Black Country Family Practice (49% overall experience good)
- Haden Vale Medical Practice (79% overall experience good)
- Portway Family Practice (72% overall experience good)
- The Smethwick Medical Centre (57% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Practice Old Hill?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 71% of patients described their overall experience of The Practice Old Hill as good, against 77% across England. 66% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Practice Old Hill?
3,815 patients were registered in September 2026, up 2.1% on a year earlier.
What is The Practice Old Hill's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in October 2022.
How many GPs does The Practice Old Hill have?
1.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (3 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,649 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Practice Old Hill face to face?
55% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Practice Old Hill's phone number?
01384 566479.