West Rainton Surgery, Houghton Le Spring: patient reviews and CQC rating
West Rainton Surgery is a GP practice in Houghton Le Spring with 5,561 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 89% 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 January 2016. It has 1.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 4,233 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about West Rainton Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 90%, above the England figure of 57%. Its result closest to England is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 94%, against 93% 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 2nd of the 7 practices in Houghton Le Spring with 50 or more responses. 90% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is unchanged from 2025 (89%). 101 patients answered the survey (response rate 30%).
| Survey question | West Rainton Surgery | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 89% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 90% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 63% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 74% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 96% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 86% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 78% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 93% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 93% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 92% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 96% of 236 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for West Rainton Surgery is Good, published in January 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
5,561 patients were registered at West Rainton Surgery in September 2026, up 1.8% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
26% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 1.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 4,233 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. The practice also has 1.6 nurses and 2.6 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 1.7 | 6.0 |
| August 2024 | 1.7 | 4.9 |
| August 2025 | 1.1 | 5.1 |
| August 2026 | 1.3 | 5.6 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 4,280 appointments a month, or 770 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 81% were face to face (England: 63%). 51% took place on the day they were booked and 5% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
28% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | West Rainton Surgery | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 770 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 81% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 51% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 5% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for heart failure (2.4% against 1.1%), stroke or TIA (3.6% against 1.9%) and COPD (3.4% against 1.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 27.1 (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 23.2% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 17.7% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 11.4% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.8% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.9% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.4% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 5.0% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.6% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 3.4% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.4% | 2.2% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 2.4% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.1% | 1.2% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | 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 | 76.7% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 77.0% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 75.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 76.4% | 74.9% |
West Rainton Surgery, Woodland View, West Rainton, Houghton Le Spring, DH4 6RQ. Phone: 0191 584 3809. Website: www.westraintonsurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Cheveley Park Medical Centre | 3.1 km | 91% |
| Belmont & Sherburn Medical Group | 3.1 km | 81% |
| The Surgery - Great Lumley | 3.8 km | 93% |
| Hetton Group Practice | 3.9 km | 85% |
| Houghton Medical Group | 4.1 km | 89% |
- Belmont & Sherburn Medical Group (81% overall experience good)
- Bowburn Medical Centre (79% overall experience good)
- Cheveley Park Medical Centre (91% overall experience good)
- Coxhoe Medical Practice (80% overall experience good)
How do patients rate West Rainton Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 89% of patients described their overall experience of West Rainton Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 90% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at West Rainton Surgery?
5,561 patients were registered in September 2026, up 1.8% on a year earlier.
What is West Rainton Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in January 2016.
How many GPs does West Rainton Surgery have?
1.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (3 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 4,233 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at West Rainton Surgery face to face?
81% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is West Rainton Surgery's phone number?
0191 584 3809.