The Medical Group, Durham: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Medical Group is a GP practice in Durham with 26,440 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 85% 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 December 2016. It has 10.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,599 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Medical Group
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 80%, above the England figure of 58%. Its result closest to England is the share who said their needs were met at their last appointment: 93%, against 90% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 5 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 6 within it.
On overall experience it is 5th of the 15 practices in Durham with 50 or more responses. 76% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 4 points higher than in 2025 (81%). 99 patients answered the survey (response rate 30%).
| Survey question | The Medical Group | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 85% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 76% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 80% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 72% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 95% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 86% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 77% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 93% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 90% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 96% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 93% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 95% of 1,268 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for The Medical Group is Good, published in December 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
26,440 patients were registered at The Medical Group in September 2026, down 0.9% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
23% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 10.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,599 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. The practice also has 11.5 nurses and 3.5 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 8.7 | 16.1 |
| August 2024 | 9.1 | 14.8 |
| August 2025 | 11.0 | 16.9 |
| August 2026 | 10.2 | 15.5 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 16,288 appointments a month, or 616 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 59% were face to face (England: 63%). 37% took place on the day they were booked and 8% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
42% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Medical Group | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 616 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 59% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 37% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 8% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for COPD (2.7% against 1.9%), stroke or TIA (2.5% against 1.9%) and coronary heart disease (3.9% against 3.0%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.8% against 1.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 28.0 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 81.4 years for women and 77.3 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 18.1% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 16.8% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 10.3% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.1% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.0% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.9% | 3.0% |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.9% | 3.8% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.7% | 1.9% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.5% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.4% | 2.2% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.8% | 1.2% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 76.1% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 73.8% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 72.8% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 72.1% | 74.9% |
The Medical Group, The Surgery, Sawmills Lane, Meadowfield, Durham, DH7 8NH. Phone: 0191 378 0651. Website: www.themedicalgroup.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Dunelm Medical Practice | 3.9 km | 74% |
| Claypath and University Medical Group | 5.2 km | 74% |
| Bishop's Close Medical Practice | 5.7 km | 82% |
| St. Andrew's Medical Practice | 5.8 km | 83% |
| Chastleton Medical Group | 5.9 km | 84% |
- Chastleton Medical Group (84% overall experience good)
- Dunelm Medical Practice (74% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Medical Group?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 85% of patients described their overall experience of The Medical Group as good, above the England figure of 77%. 76% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Medical Group?
26,440 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.9% on a year earlier.
What is The Medical Group's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in December 2016.
How many GPs does The Medical Group have?
10.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (13 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,599 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Medical Group face to face?
59% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Medical Group's phone number?
0191 378 0651.