Steppingstones Medical Practice, Dudley: patient reviews and CQC rating
Steppingstones Medical Practice is a GP practice in Dudley with 8,087 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 73% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Black Country: 74%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in August 2020. It has 3.5 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,280 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Steppingstones Medical Practice
Its best result against England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 72%, against 69% across England. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 45%, against 54% across England. With 109 responses, none of its 11 results differs from England by more than the survey's margin of error.
On overall experience it is 11th of the 17 practices in Dudley with 50 or more responses. 56% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 6 points higher than in 2025 (67%). 109 patients answered the survey (response rate 15%).
| Survey question | Steppingstones Medical Practice | Black Country | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 73% | 74% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 56% | 53% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 49% | 54% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 45% | 54% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 87% | 81% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 71% | 68% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 72% | 65% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 86% | 85% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 81% | 84% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 93% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 86% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 90% of 63 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Steppingstones Medical Practice is Good, published in August 2020. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (April 2019).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
8,087 patients were registered at Steppingstones Medical Practice in September 2026, down 5.8% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
15% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.5 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,280 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Black Country's 2,193. The practice also has 1.7 nurses and 2.0 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.4 | 6.6 |
| August 2024 | 3.4 | 6.4 |
| August 2025 | 3.4 | 7.0 |
| August 2026 | 3.5 | 6.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,820 appointments a month, or 720 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 91% were face to face (England: 63%). 48% took place on the day they were booked and 4% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
59% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 5% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Steppingstones Medical Practice | Black Country | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 720 | 561 | 510 |
| Face to face | 91% | 64% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 48% | 51% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 4% | 4% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for diabetes (11.1% against 7.9%) and coronary heart disease (3.9% against 3.0%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.1% against 1.2%), dementia (0.4% against 0.8%) and stroke or TIA (1.3% against 1.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 41.7 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 80.3 years for women and 75.2 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.0% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 13.0% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 11.1% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.2% | 6.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.9% | 3.0% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.6% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 2.8% | 3.8% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.6% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.3% | 1.9% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.1% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 57.6% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 54.7% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 48.1% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 65.6% | 74.9% |
Steppingstones Medical Practice, Stafford Street, Dudley, DY1 1RT. Phone: 01384 458229. Website: www.steppingstonesmedicalpractice.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Limestone Surgery | 0.1 km | 70% |
| Eve Hill Medical Practice | 0.6 km | 90% |
| St James Medical Practice | 0.7 km | 81% |
| Dr William Porter | 0.7 km | 80% |
| Central Clinic | 1.0 km | 65% |
- Anchor Medical Practice (89% overall experience good)
- Bean Road Medical Practice (70% overall experience good)
- Central Clinic (65% overall experience good)
- Dr William Porter (80% overall experience good)
- Dudley Wood Surgery (62% overall experience good)
- Eve Hill Medical Practice (90% overall experience good)
- Keelinge House Surgery (61% overall experience good)
- Limestone Surgery (70% overall experience good)
- Links Medical Practice (86% overall experience good)
- St James Medical Practice (81% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Steppingstones Medical Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 73% of patients described their overall experience of Steppingstones Medical Practice as good, against 77% across England. 56% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Steppingstones Medical Practice?
8,087 patients were registered in September 2026, down 5.8% on a year earlier.
What is Steppingstones Medical Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in August 2020.
How many GPs does Steppingstones Medical Practice have?
3.5 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (4 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,280 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Steppingstones Medical Practice face to face?
91% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Steppingstones Medical Practice's phone number?
01384 458229.