Gainford Surgery, Darlington: patient reviews and CQC rating
Gainford Surgery is a GP practice in Darlington with 3,708 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 100% 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 August 2018. It has 2.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,897 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Gainford Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 98%, above the England figure of 57%. Its result closest to England is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 100%, above the England figure of 93%. Of the 11 results in the table, 11 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error.
On overall experience it is 1st of the 12 practices in Darlington with 50 or more responses. 98% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 1 point higher than in 2025 (99%). 105 patients answered the survey (response rate 39%).
| Survey question | Gainford Surgery | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 100% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 98% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 76% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 89% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 99% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 99% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 98% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 100% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 99% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 100% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 100% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 99% of 174 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Gainford Surgery is Good, published in August 2018. One key question is rated differently: Caring Outstanding. It held the same rating in the report before (December 2015).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Outstanding |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
3,708 patients were registered at Gainford Surgery in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
30% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,897 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. The practice also has 1.4 nurses and 2.7 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| August 2024 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| August 2025 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| August 2026 | 2.0 | 2.6 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 1,979 appointments a month, or 534 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 72% were face to face (England: 63%). 31% took place on the day they were booked and 2% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
54% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 2% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Gainford Surgery | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 534 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 72% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 31% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 2% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for palliative or supportive care needs (2.5% against 0.6%), atrial fibrillation (4.3% against 2.2%) and peripheral arterial disease (1.0% against 0.6%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.2% against 1.2%) and serious mental illness (0.5% against 1.0%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 16.9 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 85.3 years for women and 79.3 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 | 15.8% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.3% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.8% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.5% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.3% | 4.6% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 4.3% | 2.2% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.7% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.1% | 1.9% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 2.5% | 0.6% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.9% | 1.1% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.8% | 1.9% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.5% | 1.0% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.2% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 81.6% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 80.9% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 81.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 83.9% | 74.9% |
Gainford Surgery, Main Road, Gainford, Darlington, DL2 3BE. Phone: 01325 730204. Website: www.gainfordsurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Doctors Lane Surgery | 6.3 km | 92% |
| Evenwood Medical Practice | 8.4 km | 93% |
| Woodview Medical Practice | 8.8 km | 95% |
| Moorlands Surgery | 10.0 km | 83% |
| Carmel Medical Practice | 10.0 km | 84% |
- Barnard Castle Surgery (84% overall experience good)
- Evenwood Medical Practice (93% overall experience good)
- Old Forge Surgery (90% overall experience good)
- Pinfold Medical Practice (91% overall experience good)
- Woodview Medical Practice (95% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Gainford Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 100% of patients described their overall experience of Gainford Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 98% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Gainford Surgery?
3,708 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.4% on a year earlier.
What is Gainford Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in August 2018.
How many GPs does Gainford Surgery have?
2.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (3 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,897 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Gainford Surgery face to face?
72% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Gainford Surgery's phone number?
01325 730204.