Bensham Family Practice, Gateshead: patient reviews and CQC rating
Bensham Family Practice is a GP practice in Gateshead with 3,580 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 84% 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 June 2016. It has 2.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,678 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Bensham Family Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 91%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who said their needs were met at their last appointment: 90%, 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 9th of the 16 practices in Gateshead with 50 or more responses. 91% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 7 points lower than in 2025 (91%). 97 patients answered the survey (response rate 25%).
| Survey question | Bensham Family Practice | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 84% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 91% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 67% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 81% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 98% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 91% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 95% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 93% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 95% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 90% | 91% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Bensham Family Practice is Good, published in June 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
3,580 patients were registered at Bensham Family Practice in September 2026, down 5.9% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
25% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,678 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 0.7 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 0.7 | 0.7 |
| August 2024 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| August 2025 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| August 2026 | 2.1 | 2.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 1,439 appointments a month, or 402 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 86% were face to face (England: 63%). 36% took place on the day they were booked and 3% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
51% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 5% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Bensham Family Practice | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 402 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 86% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 36% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 3% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for COPD (3.5% against 1.9%), stroke or TIA (2.9% against 1.9%) and chronic kidney disease (6.7% against 4.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 32.8 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 81.2 years for women and 76.5 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 20.2% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 15.5% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.7% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.7% | 4.6% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.5% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.9% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.1% | 3.0% |
| COPD | All ages | 3.5% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.1% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.9% | 1.9% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.4% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.1% | 1.2% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 71.2% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 73.0% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 71.7% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 78.1% | 74.9% |
Bensham Family Practice, Sidney Grove, Bensham, Gateshead, NE8 2XB. Phone: 0191 477 6955.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Second Street Surgery | 0.2 km | 85% |
| Oxford Terrace & Rawling Road Medical Group | 0.7 km | 89% |
| Central Gateshead Medical Group | 0.9 km | 77% |
| Bewick Road Surgery | 1.1 km | 89% |
| Glenpark Medical Practice | 1.4 km | 75% |
- Beacon View Medical Centre (91% overall experience good)
- Bewick Road Surgery (89% overall experience good)
- Central Gateshead Medical Group (77% overall experience good)
- Dr Kaura and Partners (70% overall experience good)
- Fell Cottage Surgery (93% overall experience good)
- Fell Tower Medical Centre (81% overall experience good)
- Millennium Family Practice (79% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Bensham Family Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 84% of patients described their overall experience of Bensham Family Practice as good, against 77% across England. 91% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Bensham Family Practice?
3,580 patients were registered in September 2026, down 5.9% on a year earlier.
What is Bensham Family Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in June 2016.
How many GPs does Bensham Family Practice have?
2.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (3 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,678 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Bensham Family Practice face to face?
86% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Bensham Family Practice's phone number?
0191 477 6955.