The Discovery Practice, Middlesbrough: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Discovery Practice is a GP practice in Middlesbrough with 7,363 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 77% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (North East and North Cumbria: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in November 2016. It has 2.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 3,540 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Discovery Practice
Its best result against England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 79%, against 69% across England. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 53%, against 58% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 1 is above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 10 within it.
On overall experience it is 12th of the 23 practices in Middlesbrough with 50 or more responses. 55% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 7 points lower than in 2025 (84%). 102 patients answered the survey (response rate 17%).
| Survey question | The Discovery Practice | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 77% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 55% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 53% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 50% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 93% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 80% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 79% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 89% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 90% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 91% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 90% | 91% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for The Discovery Practice is Good, published in November 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
7,363 patients were registered at The Discovery Practice in September 2026, down 11.5% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
11% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 3,540 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. The practice also has 4.3 nurses and 1.2 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| August 2024 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| August 2025 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| August 2026 | 2.1 | 2.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 4,634 appointments a month, or 629 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 76% were face to face (England: 63%). 62% took place on the day they were booked and 4% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
45% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Discovery Practice | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 629 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 76% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 62% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 4% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for COPD (2.5% against 1.9%). It has a lower share for chronic kidney disease (1.9% against 4.6%), depression (6.5% against 14.3%) and stroke or TIA (0.9% against 1.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 50.0 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 78.0 years for women and 72.6 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 8.7% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 6.5% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.4% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 4.8% | 6.6% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.5% | 1.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 2.1% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 1.9% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 1.8% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.1% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 0.9% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.8% | 1.2% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.7% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 65.8% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 69.0% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 51.8% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 74.7% | 74.9% |
The Discovery Practice, The Cleveland Health Centre, 20 Cleveland Square, Middlesbrough, TS1 2NX. Phone: 01642 245069.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Endeavour Practice | 0.0 km | 84% |
| Prospect Surgery | 0.0 km | 91% |
| Erimus Practice | 0.0 km | 74% |
| Borough Road and Nunthorpe Medical Group | 0.6 km | 91% |
| Newlands Medical Practice | 0.7 km | 82% |
- Erimus Practice (74% overall experience good)
- Martonside Medical Centre (75% overall experience good)
- Park Surgery (72% overall experience good)
- Prospect Surgery (91% overall experience good)
- The Endeavour Practice (84% overall experience good)
- Thorntree Surgery (79% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Discovery Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 77% of patients described their overall experience of The Discovery Practice as good, against 77% across England. 55% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Discovery Practice?
7,363 patients were registered in September 2026, down 11.5% on a year earlier.
What is The Discovery Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in November 2016.
How many GPs does The Discovery Practice have?
2.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (3 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 3,540 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Discovery Practice face to face?
76% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Discovery Practice's phone number?
01642 245069.