GP surgeries in Houghton Le Spring: ratings and patient reviews
There are 7 GP practices in Houghton Le Spring, with 58,486 registered patients between them (September 2026). The highest share of patients rating their overall experience as good is at Houghton Medical Group (89%, England 77%). Across the town there are 1,971 patients per qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 7 practices in Houghton Le Spring with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 85% at Westbourne Medical Group to 89% at Houghton Medical Group, with a median of 86% (England: 77%). 7 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. West Rainton Surgery has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (90%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton Medical Group | 8,352 | 89% | 72% | Good | 1,714 |
| West Rainton Surgery | 5,561 | 89% | 90% | Good | 4,233 |
| Herrington Medical Centre | 9,969 | 88% | 88% | Outstanding | 2,334 |
| Kepier Medical Practice | 8,514 | 86% | 76% | Good | 2,071 |
| Hetton Group Practice | 11,933 | 85% | 66% | Good | 1,912 |
| Grangewood Surgery | 7,549 | 85% | 85% | Good | 1,473 |
| Westbourne Medical Group | 6,608 | 85% | 81% | Outstanding | 1,770 |
There are 1,971 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Houghton Le Spring, close to England's 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. Practices recorded 511 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 72% of them face to face. 49% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
22% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists grew by 0.5% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Houghton Le Spring | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 1,971 | 2,088 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 511 | 550 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 72% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 49% | 42% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 4% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 22% | 22% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Houghton Le Spring is learning disability (1.0% against 0.6%), and the furthest below is osteoporosis (1.0% against 1.2%).
| Condition register | Age group | Houghton Le Spring (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 20.5% | 15.2% | 11,859 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 18.9% | 14.3% | 8,838 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.7% | 7.9% | 4,606 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.3% | 6.6% | 3,970 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.6% | 4.6% | 3,084 |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.8% | 3.8% | 2,775 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.7% | 3.0% | 2,747 |
| COPD | All ages | 3.3% | 1.9% | 1,895 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.0% | 2.2% | 1,738 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.7% | 1.9% | 1,535 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% | 537 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.1% | 1.1% | 658 |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.1% | 0.8% | 611 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.0% | 1.2% | 255 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 1.0% | 0.6% | 594 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% | 535 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 484 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 400 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% | 301 |
How many GP practices are there in Houghton Le Spring?
7, with 58,486 registered patients in September 2026.
Which GP practice in Houghton Le Spring do patients rate highest?
Houghton Medical Group: 89% of patients described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, above the England figure of 77%.
How many patients are there per GP in Houghton Le Spring?
1,971 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.
How many GP appointments in Houghton Le Spring are face to face?
72% of appointments at the town's practices were face to face, against 63% across England.