Drs Mears, Iqbal and Dahl, Newcastle Upon Tyne: patient reviews and CQC rating
Drs Mears, Iqbal and Dahl is a GP practice in Newcastle Upon Tyne with 6,606 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% (North East and North Cumbria: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in June 2016. It has 4.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,542 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Drs Mears, Iqbal and Dahl
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 84%, above the England figure of 54%. Its result closest to England is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 97%, against 93% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 9 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 2 within it.
On overall experience it is 4th of the 44 practices in Newcastle Upon Tyne with 50 or more responses. 86% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 1 point higher than in 2025 (89%). 114 patients answered the survey (response rate 28%).
| Survey question | Drs Mears, Iqbal and Dahl | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 90% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 86% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 79% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 84% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 95% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 93% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 76% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 93% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 94% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 97% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 96% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 100% of 14 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Drs Mears, Iqbal and Dahl is Good, published in June 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
6,606 patients were registered at Drs Mears, Iqbal and Dahl in September 2026, down 1.4% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
20% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 4.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,542 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. The practice also has 2.2 nurses and 0.3 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.8 | 4.8 |
| August 2024 | 4.3 | 4.9 |
| August 2025 | 4.3 | 6.0 |
| August 2026 | 4.3 | 6.0 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,582 appointments a month, or 391 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 75% were face to face (England: 63%). 36% took place on the day they were booked and 20% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
41% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 8% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Drs Mears, Iqbal and Dahl | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 391 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 75% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 36% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 20% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 8% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a lower share of patients for palliative or supportive care needs (0.2% against 0.6%) and chronic kidney disease (3.5% against 4.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 13.4 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.2 years for women and 79.1 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.5% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 12.8% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.1% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.0% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.3% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.6% | 3.0% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.5% | 4.6% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.4% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.2% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.8% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.0% | 1.2% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 77.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 75.4% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 74.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 75.5% | 74.9% |
Drs Mears, Iqbal and Dahl, 2 Swarland Avenue, Benton Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE7 7TD. Phone: 0191 215 0141. Website: www.swarlandavenuesurgery.nhs.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Sprake & Partners | 0.3 km | 87% |
| West Farm Surgery | 0.7 km | 83% |
| Stephenson Park Health Group | 1.7 km | 69% |
| Biddlestone Health Group | 1.9 km | 83% |
| Benfield Park Medical Group | 2.2 km | 86% |
- Dr Sprake & Partners (87% overall experience good)
- Mallard Medical Practice (76% overall experience good)
- Stephenson Park Health Group (69% overall experience good)
- Wellspring Medical Practice (89% overall experience good)
- West Farm Surgery (83% overall experience good)
- Wideopen Medical Centre (75% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Drs Mears, Iqbal and Dahl?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 90% of patients described their overall experience of Drs Mears, Iqbal and Dahl as good, above the England figure of 77%. 86% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Drs Mears, Iqbal and Dahl?
6,606 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.4% on a year earlier.
What is Drs Mears, Iqbal and Dahl's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in June 2016.
How many GPs does Drs Mears, Iqbal and Dahl have?
4.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (5 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,542 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Drs Mears, Iqbal and Dahl face to face?
75% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Drs Mears, Iqbal and Dahl's phone number?
0191 215 0141.