The Poplars Medical Centre, Manchester: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Poplars Medical Centre is a GP practice in Manchester with 11,479 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 84% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Greater Manchester: 79%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in March 2019. It has 6.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,701 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Poplars Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who described their last contact with the practice as good: 81%, against 73% across England. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 45%, below the England figure of 57%. Of the 11 results in the table, 0 are above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 10 within it.
On overall experience it is 49th of the 149 practices in Manchester with 50 or more responses. 45% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 16 points higher than in 2025 (68%). 106 patients answered the survey (response rate 26%).
| Survey question | The Poplars Medical Centre | Greater Manchester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 84% | 79% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 45% | 63% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 54% | 61% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 52% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 84% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 81% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 67% | 71% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 90% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 89% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 94% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 98% of 49 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for The Poplars Medical Centre is Good, published in March 2019. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (March 2015).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
11,479 patients were registered at The Poplars Medical Centre in September 2026, down 0.6% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
19% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 6.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,701 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Greater Manchester's 2,055. The practice also has 1.9 nurses and 4.0 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 5.7 | 5.7 |
| August 2024 | 6.7 | 7.8 |
| August 2025 | 6.7 | 7.8 |
| August 2026 | 6.7 | 8.7 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,763 appointments a month, or 328 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 84% were face to face (England: 63%). 33% took place on the day they were booked and 8% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
39% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 6% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Poplars Medical Centre | Greater Manchester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 328 | 445 | 510 |
| Face to face | 84% | 66% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 33% | 44% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 8% | 5% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 6% | 6% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for peripheral arterial disease (1.0% against 0.6%), heart failure (1.7% against 1.1%) and osteoporosis (1.8% against 1.2%). It has a lower share for palliative or supportive care needs (0.3% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 27.3 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 81.8 years for women and 77.3 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 | 16.9% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.9% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.2% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.4% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.3% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.5% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.8% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.2% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.8% | 1.2% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.7% | 1.1% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 72.0% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 74.8% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 71.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 76.5% | 74.9% |
The Poplars Medical Centre, 202 Partington Lane, Manchester, M27 0NA. Phone: 0161 794 6237. Website: www.thepoplersmedicalcentre.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Lakes Medical Practice | 0.6 km | 88% |
| The Sides Medical Practice | 1.0 km | 84% |
| Silverdale Medical Practice | 1.1 km | 87% |
| Dr Venkatachalum Raj | 2.1 km | 88% |
| Drs Joseph Borg-Costanzi/Ian Gilani/Brian Rhodes | 2.3 km | 72% |
- Silverdale Medical Practice (87% overall experience good)
- The Lakes Medical Practice (88% overall experience good)
- The Sides Medical Practice (84% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Poplars Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 84% of patients described their overall experience of The Poplars Medical Centre as good, against 77% across England. 45% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Poplars Medical Centre?
11,479 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.6% on a year earlier.
What is The Poplars Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in March 2019.
How many GPs does The Poplars Medical Centre have?
6.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (10 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,701 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Poplars Medical Centre face to face?
84% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Poplars Medical Centre's phone number?
0161 794 6237.