Firdale Medical Centre, Northwich: patient reviews and CQC rating
Firdale Medical Centre is a GP practice in Northwich with 11,769 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 92% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Cheshire and Merseyside: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in March 2020. It has 4.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,676 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Firdale Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 87%, above the England figure of 58%. Its result closest to England is the share who said their needs were met at their last appointment: 93%, against 90% 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 1st of the 7 practices in Northwich with 50 or more responses. 74% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points higher than in 2025 (90%). 108 patients answered the survey (response rate 30%).
| Survey question | Firdale Medical Centre | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 92% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 74% | 57% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 87% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 72% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 98% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 92% | 73% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 90% | 73% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 96% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 96% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 97% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 93% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 88% of 60 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Firdale Medical Centre is Good, published in March 2020. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (May 2019).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
11,769 patients were registered at Firdale Medical Centre in September 2026, up 4.2% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
18% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 4.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,676 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Cheshire and Merseyside's 1,971. The practice also has 1.4 nurses and 0.6 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 4.5 | 8.7 |
| August 2024 | 5.0 | 9.5 |
| August 2025 | 3.9 | 8.6 |
| August 2026 | 4.4 | 9.5 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,803 appointments a month, or 493 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 42% were face to face (England: 63%). 65% took place on the day they were booked and 5% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
48% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Firdale Medical Centre | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 493 | 492 | 510 |
| Face to face | 42% | 60% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 65% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 5% | 4% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for heart failure (1.6% against 1.1%) and depression (17.7% against 14.3%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.5% against 1.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 13.1 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.9 years for women and 79.0 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 17.7% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 15.5% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.5% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.0% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.8% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.1% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.9% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.3% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.6% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.5% | 1.2% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| 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 | 79.9% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 78.9% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 81.2% | 74.9% |
Firdale Medical Centre, Firdale Road, Northwich, CW8 4AZ. Phone: 01606 544300. Website: www.firdalemedicalcentre.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Watling Medical Practice | 1.7 km | 78% |
| Danebridge Medical Practice | 1.7 km | 71% |
| Oakwood Medical Centre | 2.0 km | 65% |
| Witton Street Surgery | 2.4 km | 81% |
| The Weaverham Surgery | 2.8 km | 80% |
- Danebridge Medical Practice (71% overall experience good)
- Middlewich Road Surgery (78% overall experience good)
- Oakwood Medical Centre (65% overall experience good)
- The Weaverham Surgery (80% overall experience good)
- Watling Medical Practice (78% overall experience good)
- Witton Street Surgery (81% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Firdale Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 92% of patients described their overall experience of Firdale Medical Centre as good, above the England figure of 77%. 74% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Firdale Medical Centre?
11,769 patients were registered in September 2026, up 4.2% on a year earlier.
What is Firdale Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in March 2020.
How many GPs does Firdale Medical Centre have?
4.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (7 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,676 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Firdale Medical Centre face to face?
42% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Firdale Medical Centre's phone number?
01606 544300.