Barrowford Surgery, Nelson: patient reviews and CQC rating
Barrowford Surgery is a GP practice in Nelson with 3,687 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% (Lancashire and South Cumbria: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in June 2017. It has 0.5 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 7,681 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Barrowford Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 89%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 68%, against 69% 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 1st of the 7 practices in Nelson with 50 or more responses. 89% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 18 points higher than in 2025 (71%). 105 patients answered the survey (response rate 26%).
| Survey question | Barrowford Surgery | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 89% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 89% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 79% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 85% | 57% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 93% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 84% | 74% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 68% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 87% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 90% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 94% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 94% of 94 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Barrowford Surgery is Good, published in June 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good. Its previous overall rating was Requires Improvement (April 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
3,687 patients were registered at Barrowford Surgery in September 2026, up 2.6% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
23% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 0.5 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 7,681 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Lancashire and South Cumbria's 2,288. The practice also has 2.7 nurses and 1.5 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 | 1.6 | 1.6 |
| August 2025 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
| August 2026 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 1,406 appointments a month, or 381 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 62% were face to face (England: 63%). 34% took place on the day they were booked and 8% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
14% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Barrowford Surgery | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 381 | 471 | 510 |
| Face to face | 62% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 34% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 8% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for depression (22.6% against 14.3%) and cancer (4.9% against 3.8%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.1% against 1.2%), chronic kidney disease (1.5% against 4.6%) and diabetes (5.5% against 7.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 18.2 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.0 years for women and 81.3 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 22.6% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 17.6% | 15.2% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.1% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 5.5% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.9% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.5% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.4% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.2% | 1.9% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.7% | 1.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 1.5% | 4.6% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.1% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 76.4% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 78.1% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 80.2% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 78.8% | 74.9% |
Barrowford Surgery, Ridgeway, Barrowford, Nelson, BB9 8QP. Phone: 01282 612621. Website: www.barrowfordsurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Reedyford Health Care | 1.2 km | 77% |
| Dr Qazi Jehangir | 1.2 km | 62% |
| Pendle Valley Mill Practice - Yarnspinners Branch | 1.2 km | 47% |
| Dr M Umar & Dr H Sadique | 1.2 km | 65% |
| Whitefield Medical Services Limited | 1.2 km | 80% |
- Barnoldswick Medical Centre (77% overall experience good)
- Harambee Surgery (80% overall experience good)
- Richmond Hill Practice (59% overall experience good)
- The Pendle Medical Partnership (59% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Barrowford Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 89% of patients described their overall experience of Barrowford Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 89% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Barrowford Surgery?
3,687 patients were registered in September 2026, up 2.6% on a year earlier.
What is Barrowford Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in June 2017.
How many GPs does Barrowford Surgery have?
0.5 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (1 qualified GP by headcount), which is 7,681 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Barrowford Surgery face to face?
62% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Barrowford Surgery's phone number?
01282 612621.