The Blackdown Practice, Cullompton: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Blackdown Practice is a GP practice in Cullompton with 8,355 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% (Devon: 79%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Outstanding overall, in a report published in October 2016. It has 6.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,339 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Blackdown Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 91%, above the England figure of 57%. Its result closest to England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 61%, against 54% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 10 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 1 within it.
On overall experience it is 1st of the 3 practices in Cullompton with 50 or more responses. 91% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 1 point higher than in 2025 (92%). 104 patients answered the survey (response rate 39%).
| Survey question | The Blackdown Practice | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 93% | 79% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 91% | 59% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 79% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 61% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 99% | 87% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 97% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 93% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 99% | 90% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 98% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 99% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 99% | 91% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for The Blackdown Practice is Outstanding, published in October 2016. 2 key questions are rated differently: Safe Good and Effective Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Outstanding |
| Caring | Outstanding |
| Responsive | Outstanding |
| Effective | Good |
8,355 patients were registered at The Blackdown Practice in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
31% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 6.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,339 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Devon's 1,863. The practice also has 2.1 nurses and 9.1 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 4.8 | 6.9 |
| August 2024 | 6.2 | 6.2 |
| August 2025 | 6.2 | 7.1 |
| August 2026 | 6.2 | 7.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,182 appointments a month, or 620 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 65% were face to face (England: 63%). 32% took place on the day they were booked and 4% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
50% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Blackdown Practice | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 620 | 626 | 510 |
| Face to face | 65% | 54% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 32% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 4% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for osteoporosis (2.5% against 1.2%), atrial fibrillation (4.0% against 2.2%) and cancer (6.6% against 3.8%). It has a lower share for a learning disability (0.2% against 0.6%) and palliative or supportive care needs (0.2% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 17.0 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 86.9 years for women and 82.6 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 19.9% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 13.8% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.2% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.5% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.6% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.0% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.2% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 4.0% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.5% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 2.5% | 1.2% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.7% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 78.0% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 76.3% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 79.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 82.2% | 74.9% |
The Blackdown Practice, The Surgery, Station Road, Hemyock, Cullompton, EX15 3SF. Phone: 01823 680206. Website: www.theblackdownpractice.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Wellington Medical Centre | 7.0 km | 79% |
| Sampford Peverell Surgery | 10.5 km | 79% |
| College Surgery Partnership | 12.7 km | 84% |
| College Way Surgery | 12.7 km | 94% |
| Bramblehaies Partnership | 12.8 km | 71% |
- Bramblehaies Partnership (71% overall experience good)
- College Surgery Partnership (84% overall experience good)
- Wyndham House Surgery (96% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Blackdown Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 93% of patients described their overall experience of The Blackdown Practice as good, above the England figure of 77%. 91% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Blackdown Practice?
8,355 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.4% on a year earlier.
What is The Blackdown Practice's CQC rating?
Outstanding overall, published in October 2016.
How many GPs does The Blackdown Practice have?
6.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (7 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,339 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Blackdown Practice face to face?
65% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Blackdown Practice's phone number?
01823 680206.