Helston Medical Centre, Helston: patient reviews and CQC rating
Helston Medical Centre is a GP practice in Helston with 13,844 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 81% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly: 79%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in August 2018. It has 11.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,249 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Helston Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 74%, above the England figure of 58%. Its weakest is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 54%, below the England figure of 69%. Of the 11 results in the table, 1 is above England and 2 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 8 within it.
On overall experience it is 3rd of the 4 practices in Helston with 50 or more responses. 52% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 12 points higher than in 2025 (69%). 118 patients answered the survey (response rate 35%).
| Survey question | Helston Medical Centre | Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 81% | 79% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 52% | 58% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 74% | 65% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 64% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 77% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 70% | 74% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 54% | 71% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 90% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 91% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 96% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 87% | 91% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Helston Medical Centre is Good, published in August 2018. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (May 2015).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
13,844 patients were registered at Helston Medical Centre in September 2026, down 3.1% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
26% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 11.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,249 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly's 1,871. The practice also has 5.2 nurses and 8.7 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 12.9 | 15.4 |
| August 2024 | 12.9 | 15.4 |
| August 2025 | 11.1 | 14.3 |
| August 2026 | 11.1 | 14.9 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 7,939 appointments a month, or 573 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 58% were face to face (England: 63%). 24% took place on the day they were booked and 16% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
36% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 5% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Helston Medical Centre | Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 573 | 633 | 510 |
| Face to face | 58% | 59% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 24% | 44% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 16% | 7% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for stroke or TIA (3.1% against 1.9%), coronary heart disease (4.7% against 3.0%) and atrial fibrillation (3.1% against 2.2%). It has a lower share for depression (7.4% against 14.3%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 20.0 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.6 years for women and 79.5 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 16.5% | 15.2% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.8% | 6.6% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 7.4% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.3% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.1% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.0% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.7% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.1% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.1% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.2% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.3% | 1.1% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.2% | 1.2% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 75.2% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 75.1% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 72.1% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 74.0% | 74.9% |
Helston Medical Centre, Trelawney Road, Helston, TR13 8AU. Phone: 01326 572637.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Cober Valley Health | 0.1 km | 79% |
| Mullion Health Centre | 8.4 km | 82% |
| Praze-An-Beeble Surgery | 8.7 km | 87% |
| Veor Surgery | 12.5 km | 71% |
| St Keverne Health Centre | 14.0 km | 89% |
- Cober Valley Health (79% overall experience good)
- Mullion Health Centre (82% overall experience good)
- St Keverne Health Centre (89% overall experience good)
- The Health Centre (89% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Helston Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 81% of patients described their overall experience of Helston Medical Centre as good, against 77% across England. 52% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Helston Medical Centre?
13,844 patients were registered in September 2026, down 3.1% on a year earlier.
What is Helston Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in August 2018.
How many GPs does Helston Medical Centre have?
11.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (15 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,249 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Helston Medical Centre face to face?
58% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Helston Medical Centre's phone number?
01326 572637.