The Whickham Practice, Newcastle Upon Tyne: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Whickham Practice is a GP practice in Newcastle Upon Tyne with 15,530 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 81% 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 July 2018. It has 8.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,765 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Whickham Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 67%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 51%, 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 18th of the 44 practices in Newcastle Upon Tyne with 50 or more responses. 67% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 5 points lower than in 2025 (86%). 98 patients answered the survey (response rate 36%).
| Survey question | The Whickham Practice | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 81% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 67% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 51% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 63% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 90% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 78% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 69% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 86% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 85% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 91% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 89% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 94% of 357 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for The Whickham Practice is Good, published in July 2018. One key question is rated differently: Effective Outstanding. It held the same rating in the report before (April 2015).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Outstanding |
15,530 patients were registered at The Whickham Practice in September 2026, down 0.6% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
30% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 8.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,765 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. The practice also has 2.8 nurses and 5.0 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 9.9 | 12.0 |
| August 2024 | 8.8 | 10.7 |
| August 2025 | 8.8 | 9.9 |
| August 2026 | 8.8 | 10.7 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 6,623 appointments a month, or 426 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 70% were face to face (England: 63%). 40% took place on the day they were booked and 10% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
42% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Whickham Practice | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 426 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 70% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 40% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 10% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for stroke or TIA (3.1% against 1.9%), atrial fibrillation (3.5% against 2.2%) and cancer (5.6% against 3.8%). 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 14.0 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.9 years for women and 80.5 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 21.6% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 12.3% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.0% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.8% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.1% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.6% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.8% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.5% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.1% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.8% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.6% | 1.2% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.4% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 82.7% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 82.4% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 82.8% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 80.9% | 74.9% |
The Whickham Practice, Whickham Cottage Medical Practice, Rectory Lane, Whickham, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE16 4PD. Phone: 0191 488 5555. Website: www.whickhampractice.nhs.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Sunniside Surgery | 2.5 km | 97% |
| Glenpark Medical Practice | 2.6 km | 75% |
| Holmside Medical Group | 2.8 km | 63% |
| Chainbridge Medical Partnership | 3.1 km | 78% |
| Betts Avenue Medical Group | 3.1 km | 81% |
- Chainbridge Medical Partnership (78% overall experience good)
- Glenpark Medical Practice (75% overall experience good)
- Sunniside Surgery (97% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Whickham Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 81% of patients described their overall experience of The Whickham Practice as good, against 77% across England. 67% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Whickham Practice?
15,530 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.6% on a year earlier.
What is The Whickham Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in July 2018.
How many GPs does The Whickham Practice have?
8.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (9 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,765 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Whickham Practice face to face?
70% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Whickham Practice's phone number?
0191 488 5555.