Grangewood Surgery, Houghton Le Spring: patient reviews and CQC rating
Grangewood Surgery is a GP practice in Houghton Le Spring with 7,549 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 85% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (North East and North Cumbria: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in November 2022. It has 5.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,473 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Grangewood Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 85%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 54%, against 58% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 3 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 8 within it.
On overall experience it is 6th of the 7 practices in Houghton Le Spring with 50 or more responses. 85% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 12 points lower than in 2025 (97%). 114 patients answered the survey (response rate 31%).
| Survey question | Grangewood Surgery | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 85% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 85% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 54% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 68% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 88% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 78% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 75% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 92% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 87% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 92% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 99% of 222 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Grangewood Surgery is Good, published in November 2022. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (February 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
7,549 patients were registered at Grangewood Surgery in September 2026, up 0.9% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
22% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 5.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,473 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. The practice also has 2.5 nurses and 1.8 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 4.4 | 6.2 |
| August 2024 | 4.4 | 6.5 |
| August 2025 | 4.4 | 6.5 |
| August 2026 | 5.1 | 8.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,542 appointments a month, or 469 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 82% were face to face (England: 63%). 43% took place on the day they were booked and 14% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
49% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 6% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Grangewood Surgery | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 469 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 82% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 43% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 14% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 6% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for a learning disability (1.0% against 0.6%), chronic kidney disease (7.8% against 4.6%) and coronary heart disease (4.7% against 3.0%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 23.1 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 81.6 years for women and 78.3 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 21.1% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 19.6% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.7% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.9% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.8% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.5% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.7% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.3% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.9% | 1.9% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.5% | 1.2% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.3% | 1.1% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 78.2% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 81.5% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 80.7% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 80.3% | 74.9% |
Grangewood Surgery, Chester Road, Shiney Row, Houghton Le Spring, DH4 4RB. Phone: 0191 385 2898.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Westbourne Medical Group | 0.2 km | 85% |
| Herrington Medical Centre | 1.0 km | 88% |
| Harraton Surgery | 2.6 km | 80% |
| Kepier Medical Practice | 2.7 km | 86% |
| Houghton Medical Group | 3.4 km | 89% |
- Herrington Medical Centre (88% overall experience good)
- Hetton Group Practice (85% overall experience good)
- Houghton Medical Group (89% overall experience good)
- Kepier Medical Practice (86% overall experience good)
- Westbourne Medical Group (85% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Grangewood Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 85% of patients described their overall experience of Grangewood Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 85% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Grangewood Surgery?
7,549 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.9% on a year earlier.
What is Grangewood Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in November 2022.
How many GPs does Grangewood Surgery have?
5.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (7 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,473 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Grangewood Surgery face to face?
82% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Grangewood Surgery's phone number?
0191 385 2898.