BARDOC - The Birches Medical Centre, Manchester: patient reviews and CQC rating
BARDOC - The Birches Medical Centre is a GP practice in Manchester with 3,853 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 90% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Greater Manchester: 79%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in May 2018. It has 1.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,186 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about BARDOC - The Birches Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 79%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 43%, against 58% 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 11th of the 149 practices in Manchester with 50 or more responses. 79% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points higher than in 2025 (88%). 133 patients answered the survey (response rate 27%).
| Survey question | BARDOC - The Birches Medical Centre | Greater Manchester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 90% | 79% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 79% | 63% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 43% | 61% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 47% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 93% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 86% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 81% | 71% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 89% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 88% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 96% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 95% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 96% of 50 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for BARDOC - The Birches Medical Centre is Good, published in May 2018. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
3,853 patients were registered at BARDOC - The Birches Medical Centre in September 2026, down 1.6% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
17% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 1.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,186 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Greater Manchester's 2,055. The practice also has 1.2 nurses and 0.5 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 1.6 | 1.6 |
| August 2024 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| August 2025 | 1.9 | 1.9 |
| August 2026 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 1,547 appointments a month, or 401 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 70% were face to face (England: 63%). 35% took place on the day they were booked and 3% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
56% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 5% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | BARDOC - The Birches Medical Centre | Greater Manchester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 401 | 445 | 510 |
| Face to face | 70% | 66% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 35% | 44% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 3% | 5% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 6% | 4% |
None of the 19 condition registers below is both significantly and more than a fifth above or below the England rate. The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 19.9 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 81.9 years for women and 78.5 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 16.7% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 15.1% | 15.2% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.9% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.7% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.0% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.4% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.4% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.9% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.4% | 1.9% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.3% | 1.9% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.2% | 1.0% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.9% | 1.2% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.7% | 1.1% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 74.6% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 77.5% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 73.4% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 75.0% | 74.9% |
BARDOC - The Birches Medical Centre, 42 Polefield Road, Prestwich, Manchester, M25 2GN. Phone: 0161 773 3037.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Laurence Howard Sherman | 0.3 km | 77% |
| Fairfax Group Practice | 1.0 km | 73% |
| Longfield Medical Practice | 1.0 km | 67% |
| Whittaker Lane Medical Centre | 1.1 km | 59% |
| St Gabriel's Medical Centre | 2.0 km | 68% |
- Dr Laurence Howard Sherman (77% overall experience good)
- Fairfax Group Practice (73% overall experience good)
- Longfield Medical Practice (67% overall experience good)
- St Gabriel's Medical Centre (68% overall experience good)
- Whittaker Lane Medical Centre (59% overall experience good)
How do patients rate BARDOC - The Birches Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 90% of patients described their overall experience of BARDOC - The Birches Medical Centre as good, above the England figure of 77%. 79% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at BARDOC - The Birches Medical Centre?
3,853 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.6% on a year earlier.
What is BARDOC - The Birches Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in May 2018.
How many GPs does BARDOC - The Birches Medical Centre have?
1.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (4 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,186 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at BARDOC - The Birches Medical Centre face to face?
70% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is BARDOC - The Birches Medical Centre's phone number?
0161 773 3037.