Willington Medical Group, Crook: patient reviews and CQC rating
Willington Medical Group is a GP practice in Crook with 9,136 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 87% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (North East and North Cumbria: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in December 2016. It has 5.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,779 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Willington Medical Group
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 71%, 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: 58%, against 58% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 6 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 5 within it.
71% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 14 points higher than in 2025 (73%). 113 patients answered the survey (response rate 30%).
| Survey question | Willington Medical Group | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 87% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 71% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 58% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 59% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 94% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 81% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 72% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 95% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 94% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 96% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 94% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 96% of 391 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Willington Medical Group is Good, published in December 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
9,136 patients were registered at Willington Medical Group in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
24% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 5.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,779 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. The practice also has 4.9 nurses and 2.5 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| August 2024 | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| August 2025 | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| August 2026 | 5.1 | 5.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 4,390 appointments a month, or 481 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 78% were face to face (England: 63%). 30% took place on the day they were booked and 8% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
33% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 5% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Willington Medical Group | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 481 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 78% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 30% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 8% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for a learning disability (1.5% against 0.6%), peripheral arterial disease (1.1% against 0.6%) and COPD (3.2% against 1.9%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.5% against 1.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 36.1 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 79.0 years for women and 77.0 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 20.5% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 16.2% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 11.3% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.4% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.8% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.6% | 3.0% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.6% | 4.6% |
| COPD | All ages | 3.2% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.1% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.9% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.6% | 1.1% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.3% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.3% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.5% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 75.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 71.3% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 74.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 71.7% | 74.9% |
Willington Medical Group, Chapel Street, Willington, Crook, DL15 0EQ. Phone: 01388 742500. Website: www.willingtonmedicalgroup.org.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| North House Surgery | 3.5 km | 75% |
| Bishopgate Medical Centre | 5.8 km | 90% |
| The Medical Group | 6.0 km | 85% |
| Station View Medical Centre | 6.1 km | 83% |
| Bishop's Close Medical Practice | 6.2 km | 82% |
- North House Surgery (75% overall experience good)
- The Weardale Practice (84% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Willington Medical Group?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 87% of patients described their overall experience of Willington Medical Group as good, above the England figure of 77%. 71% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Willington Medical Group?
9,136 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.4% on a year earlier.
What is Willington Medical Group's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in December 2016.
How many GPs does Willington Medical Group have?
5.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,779 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Willington Medical Group face to face?
78% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Willington Medical Group's phone number?
01388 742500.