Helsby Health Centre, Helsby: patient reviews and CQC rating
Helsby Health Centre is a GP practice in Helsby with 9,819 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 88% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Cheshire and Merseyside: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in March 2017. It has 5.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,867 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Helsby Health Centre
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 75%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found the reception and administrative team helpful: 83%, against 85% 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.
75% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 6 points higher than in 2025 (82%). 140 patients answered the survey (response rate 38%).
| Survey question | Helsby Health Centre | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 88% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 75% | 57% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 64% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 63% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 83% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 85% | 73% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 86% | 73% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 93% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 92% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 94% | 91% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Helsby Health Centre is Good, published in March 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good. Its previous overall rating was Requires Improvement (October 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
9,819 patients were registered at Helsby Health Centre in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
25% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 5.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,867 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Cheshire and Merseyside's 1,971. The practice also has 5.0 nurses and 6.1 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 5.3 | 7.8 |
| August 2024 | 5.3 | 10.4 |
| August 2025 | 5.3 | 5.9 |
| August 2026 | 5.3 | 8.2 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,197 appointments a month, or 529 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 60% were face to face (England: 63%). 50% took place on the day they were booked and 5% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
54% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Helsby Health Centre | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 529 | 492 | 510 |
| Face to face | 60% | 60% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 50% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 5% | 4% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for dementia (1.6% against 0.8%), atrial fibrillation (3.7% against 2.2%) and osteoporosis (1.9% against 1.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 13.4 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.6 years for women and 80.7 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 19.4% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 16.3% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.2% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.1% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.5% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.9% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.0% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.7% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.4% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.9% | 1.2% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.6% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.5% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.4% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | 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 | 73.6% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 77.2% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 77.5% | 74.9% |
Helsby Health Centre, Lower Robin Hood Lane, Helsby, Helsby, WA6 0BW. Phone: 01928 723676.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Knoll Surgery | 3.8 km | 89% |
| Weaver Vale Practice | 7.8 km | 67% |
| Brookvale Practice | 7.8 km | 79% |
| Kelsall Medical Centre | 7.9 km | 89% |
| Tower House Practice | 8.3 km | 66% |
- The Knoll Surgery (89% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Helsby Health Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 88% of patients described their overall experience of Helsby Health Centre as good, above the England figure of 77%. 75% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Helsby Health Centre?
9,819 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.5% on a year earlier.
What is Helsby Health Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in March 2017.
How many GPs does Helsby Health Centre have?
5.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,867 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Helsby Health Centre face to face?
60% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Helsby Health Centre's phone number?
01928 723676.