West Cornforth Medical Practice, Ferryhill: patient reviews and CQC rating
West Cornforth Medical Practice is a GP practice in Ferryhill with 2,861 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 72% 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 August 2016. It has 1.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,402 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about West Cornforth Medical Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 76%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 51%, against 58% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 1 is above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 10 within it.
76% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 11 points lower than in 2025 (83%). 116 patients answered the survey (response rate 25%).
| Survey question | West Cornforth Medical Practice | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 72% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 76% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 51% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 52% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 82% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 66% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 70% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 84% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 83% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 93% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 89% | 91% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for West Cornforth Medical Practice is Good, published in August 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
2,861 patients were registered at West Cornforth Medical Practice in September 2026, up 3.2% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
24% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 1.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,402 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. The practice also has 2.8 nurses and 3.2 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| August 2024 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| August 2025 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| August 2026 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,969 appointments a month, or 1,038 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 75% were face to face (England: 63%). 24% took place on the day they were booked and 3% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
23% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | West Cornforth Medical Practice | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 1,038 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 75% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 24% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 3% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for palliative or supportive care needs (1.4% against 0.6%), peripheral arterial disease (1.2% against 0.6%) and COPD (4.2% against 1.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 43.2 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 80.8 years for women and 75.6 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 23.8% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 17.4% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 13.8% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 10.3% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.9% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 5.3% | 3.0% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.2% | 3.8% |
| COPD | All ages | 4.2% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.4% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.9% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 2.4% | 1.2% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 2.0% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.5% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.5% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.4% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.4% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 68.2% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 64.3% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 78.8% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 76.5% | 74.9% |
West Cornforth Medical Practice, Reading Street, West Cornforth, Ferryhill, DL17 9LH. Phone: 01740 656578. Website: www.intrahealth.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Coxhoe Medical Practice | 1.7 km | 80% |
| Ferryhill & Chilton Medical Practice | 2.6 km | 57% |
| Bowburn Medical Centre | 3.7 km | 79% |
| St. Andrew's Medical Practice | 4.9 km | 83% |
| Bishop's Close Medical Practice | 4.9 km | 82% |
- Bishop's Close Medical Practice (82% overall experience good)
- Ferryhill & Chilton Medical Practice (57% overall experience good)
- Skerne Medical Group (71% overall experience good)
- St. Andrew's Medical Practice (83% overall experience good)
How do patients rate West Cornforth Medical Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 72% of patients described their overall experience of West Cornforth Medical Practice as good, against 77% across England. 76% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at West Cornforth Medical Practice?
2,861 patients were registered in September 2026, up 3.2% on a year earlier.
What is West Cornforth Medical Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in August 2016.
How many GPs does West Cornforth Medical Practice have?
1.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (2 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,402 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at West Cornforth Medical Practice face to face?
75% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is West Cornforth Medical Practice's phone number?
01740 656578.