Dr AK Gupta's Practice, Darwen: patient reviews and CQC rating
Dr AK Gupta's Practice is a GP practice in Darwen with 4,218 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% (Lancashire and South Cumbria: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in January 2017. It has 5.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 739 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Dr AK Gupta's Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 87%, above the England figure of 57%. Its result closest to England is the share who said their needs were met at their last appointment: 92%, against 90% 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.
On overall experience it is 3rd of the 4 practices in Darwen with 50 or more responses. 87% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 4 points higher than in 2025 (83%). 114 patients answered the survey (response rate 26%).
| Survey question | Dr AK Gupta's Practice | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 87% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 87% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 67% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 71% | 57% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 95% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 89% | 74% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 84% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 91% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 91% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 92% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 96% of 50 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Dr AK Gupta's Practice is Good, published in January 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
4,218 patients were registered at Dr AK Gupta's Practice in September 2026, up 9.0% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
19% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 5.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 739 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Lancashire and South Cumbria's 2,288. The practice also has 0.7 nurses (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.4 | 3.4 |
| August 2024 | 3.4 | 3.4 |
| August 2025 | 6.5 | 6.5 |
| August 2026 | 5.7 | 6.8 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 1,742 appointments a month, or 413 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 43% were face to face (England: 63%). 51% took place on the day they were booked and 4% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
65% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Dr AK Gupta's Practice | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 413 | 471 | 510 |
| Face to face | 43% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 51% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 4% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for depression (30.5% against 14.3%), COPD (3.1% against 1.9%) and high blood pressure (21.4% against 15.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 23.2 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 82.3 years for women and 78.0 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 30.5% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 21.4% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.8% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.2% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.6% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.9% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.8% | 3.0% |
| COPD | All ages | 3.1% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.6% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.4% | 1.2% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.3% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 70.7% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 70.0% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 79.5% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 82.9% | 74.9% |
Dr AK Gupta's Practice, Springfield Surgery, 102 Bolton Road, Darwen, BB3 1BZ. Phone: 01254 360228. Website: www.springfeniscohealthlink.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Dr M Ninan and partners | 0.6 km | 89% |
| Darwen Healthlink, Darwen Health Centre | 0.6 km | 79% |
| Hollins Grove Surgery | 1.7 km | 90% |
| Roman Road Health Centre | 4.2 km | 84% |
| Bentham Road Health Centre | 5.1 km | 73% |
- Darwen Healthlink, Darwen Health Centre (79% overall experience good)
- Dr M Ninan and partners (89% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Dr AK Gupta's Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 87% of patients described their overall experience of Dr AK Gupta's Practice as good, above the England figure of 77%. 87% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Dr AK Gupta's Practice?
4,218 patients were registered in September 2026, up 9.0% on a year earlier.
What is Dr AK Gupta's Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in January 2017.
How many GPs does Dr AK Gupta's Practice have?
5.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 739 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Dr AK Gupta's Practice face to face?
43% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Dr AK Gupta's Practice's phone number?
01254 360228.