Carmel Medical Practice, Darlington: patient reviews and CQC rating
Carmel Medical Practice is a GP practice in Darlington with 11,883 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 84% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (North East and North Cumbria: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in January 2020. It has 3.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 3,145 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Carmel Medical Practice
Its best result against England is the share who described their overall experience of the practice as good: 84%, against 77% across England. Its weakest is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 60%, below the England figure of 69%. Of the 11 results in the table, 0 are above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 10 within it.
On overall experience it is 9th of the 12 practices in Darlington with 50 or more responses. 60% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 1 point lower than in 2025 (85%). 119 patients answered the survey (response rate 36%).
| Survey question | Carmel Medical Practice | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 84% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 60% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 53% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 49% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 89% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 72% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 60% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 91% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 86% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 88% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 89% | 91% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Carmel Medical Practice is Good, published in January 2020. One key question is rated differently: Effective Outstanding. It held the same rating in the report before (July 2015).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Outstanding |
11,883 patients were registered at Carmel Medical Practice in September 2026, up 0.8% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
26% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 3,145 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. The practice also has 3.7 nurses and 2.6 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.1 | 4.0 |
| August 2024 | 3.1 | 3.8 |
| August 2025 | 2.7 | 3.7 |
| August 2026 | 3.8 | 3.8 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,117 appointments a month, or 431 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 83% were face to face (England: 63%). 34% took place on the day they were booked and 11% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
40% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Carmel Medical Practice | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 431 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 83% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 34% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 11% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for heart failure (2.8% against 1.1%), peripheral arterial disease (0.9% against 0.6%) and stroke or TIA (2.8% against 1.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 15.3 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.2 years for women and 80.2 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 19.2% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 13.1% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.1% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.2% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.6% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.3% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.8% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.0% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.8% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 2.8% | 1.1% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.1% | 1.2% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 79.7% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 82.5% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 78.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 79.6% | 74.9% |
Carmel Medical Practice, Nunnery Lane, Darlington, DL3 8SQ. Phone: 0844 477 8758. Website: www.carmelmedicalcentre.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Moorlands Surgery | 0.7 km | 83% |
| Orchard Court | 1.0 km | 96% |
| Blacketts Medical Practice | 1.3 km | 89% |
| Parkgate Medical Practice | 2.0 km | 86% |
| Clifton Court Medical Practice | 2.1 km | 82% |
- Blacketts Medical Practice (89% overall experience good)
- Clifton Court Medical Practice (82% overall experience good)
- Denmark Street Surgery (87% overall experience good)
- Middleton and Dinsdale Medical Practice (94% overall experience good)
- Moorlands Surgery (83% overall experience good)
- Neasham Road Surgery (83% overall experience good)
- Orchard Court (96% overall experience good)
- Parkgate Medical Practice (86% overall experience good)
- Rockliffe Court Surgery (99% overall experience good)
- Whinfield Medical Practice (84% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Carmel Medical Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 84% of patients described their overall experience of Carmel Medical Practice as good, against 77% across England. 60% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Carmel Medical Practice?
11,883 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.8% on a year earlier.
What is Carmel Medical Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in January 2020.
How many GPs does Carmel Medical Practice have?
3.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 3,145 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Carmel Medical Practice face to face?
83% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Carmel Medical Practice's phone number?
0844 477 8758.