Blackthorn Medical Centre, Maidstone: patient reviews and CQC rating
Blackthorn Medical Centre is a GP practice in Maidstone with 9,016 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 83% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Kent and Medway: 73%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in July 2017. It has 2.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 3,987 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Blackthorn Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who found the reception and administrative team helpful: 95%, above the England figure of 85%. Its weakest is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 57%, below the England figure of 69%. Of the 11 results in the table, 1 is above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 9 within it.
On overall experience it is 6th of the 15 practices in Maidstone with 50 or more responses. 59% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points higher than in 2025 (81%). 112 patients answered the survey (response rate 31%).
| Survey question | Blackthorn Medical Centre | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 83% | 73% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 59% | 48% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 49% | 52% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 49% | 50% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 95% | 82% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 79% | 67% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 57% | 65% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 89% | 85% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 85% | 84% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 90% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 90% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 100% of 99 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Blackthorn Medical Centre is Good, published in July 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good. Its previous overall rating was Requires Improvement (December 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
9,016 patients were registered at Blackthorn Medical Centre in September 2026, up 6.6% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
18% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 3,987 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Kent and Medway's 2,419. The practice also has 0.8 nurses and 4.3 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 2.3 | 3.9 |
| August 2024 | 2.3 | 4.4 |
| August 2025 | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| August 2026 | 2.3 | 3.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,241 appointments a month, or 581 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 50% were face to face (England: 63%). 48% took place on the day they were booked and 11% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
52% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 7% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Blackthorn Medical Centre | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 581 | 457 | 510 |
| Face to face | 50% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 48% | 41% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 11% | 7% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 7% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for serious mental illness (1.8% against 1.0%), chronic kidney disease (7.0% against 4.6%) and depression (19.7% against 14.3%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 13.9 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.1 years for women and 79.8 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 19.7% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 18.4% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.2% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.1% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.0% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.5% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.7% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.5% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.2% | 1.9% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.8% | 1.2% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.8% | 1.0% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 78.4% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 79.2% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 71.0% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 81.5% | 74.9% |
Blackthorn Medical Centre, St Andrews Road, Barming, Maidstone, ME16 9AN. Phone: 01622 726277. Website: www.blackthornmedicalcentre.nhs.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Bower Mount Medical Practice | 1.5 km | 77% |
| The Vine Medical Centre | 2.0 km | 62% |
| The College Practice | 2.5 km | 59% |
| Brewer Street Surgery | 2.8 km | 86% |
| Aylesford Medical Centre | 3.1 km | 50% |
- Aylesford Medical Centre (50% overall experience good)
- The College Practice (59% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Blackthorn Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 83% of patients described their overall experience of Blackthorn Medical Centre as good, against 77% across England. 59% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Blackthorn Medical Centre?
9,016 patients were registered in September 2026, up 6.6% on a year earlier.
What is Blackthorn Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in July 2017.
How many GPs does Blackthorn Medical Centre have?
2.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (4 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 3,987 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Blackthorn Medical Centre face to face?
50% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Blackthorn Medical Centre's phone number?
01622 726277.