Oakwood Medical Centre, Northwich: patient reviews and CQC rating
Oakwood Medical Centre is a GP practice in Northwich with 9,111 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 65% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77% (Cheshire and Merseyside: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in November 2018. It has 4.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,219 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Oakwood Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 96%, against 93% across England. Its weakest is the share who found the reception and administrative team helpful: 60%, below the England figure of 85%. Of the 11 results in the table, 0 are above England and 8 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 3 within it.
On overall experience it is 7th of the 7 practices in Northwich with 50 or more responses. 46% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 15 points lower than in 2025 (80%). 99 patients answered the survey (response rate 26%).
| Survey question | Oakwood Medical Centre | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 65% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 46% | 57% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 43% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 35% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 60% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 56% | 73% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 62% | 73% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 78% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 80% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 96% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 79% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 91% of 276 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Oakwood Medical Centre is Good, published in November 2018. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (August 2015).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
9,111 patients were registered at Oakwood Medical Centre in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
22% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 4.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,219 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Cheshire and Merseyside's 1,971. The practice also has 2.0 nurses and 3.7 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| August 2024 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| August 2025 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| August 2026 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,712 appointments a month, or 298 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 63% were face to face (England: 63%). 47% took place on the day they were booked and 1% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
57% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 5% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Oakwood Medical Centre | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 298 | 492 | 510 |
| Face to face | 63% | 60% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 47% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 1% | 4% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a lower share of patients for osteoporosis (0.4% against 1.2%) and dementia (0.5% against 0.8%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 15.2 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.4 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 | 17.7% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.6% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.6% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.8% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.5% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.2% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.2% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.6% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.2% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.3% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.4% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 78.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 79.4% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 79.4% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 81.7% | 74.9% |
Oakwood Medical Centre, Broadway, Barnton, Northwich, CW8 4LF. Phone: 01606 544241. Website: www.oakwoodmedicalcentrebarnton.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Firdale Medical Centre | 2.0 km | 92% |
| Watling Medical Practice | 2.4 km | 78% |
| The Weaverham Surgery | 2.4 km | 80% |
| Danebridge Medical Practice | 2.6 km | 71% |
| Witton Street Surgery | 2.9 km | 81% |
- Danebridge Medical Practice (71% overall experience good)
- Firdale Medical Centre (92% overall experience good)
- Middlewich Road Surgery (78% 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 Oakwood Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 65% of patients described their overall experience of Oakwood Medical Centre as good, below the England figure of 77%. 46% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Oakwood Medical Centre?
9,111 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.2% on a year earlier.
What is Oakwood Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in November 2018.
How many GPs does Oakwood Medical Centre have?
4.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (5 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,219 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Oakwood Medical Centre face to face?
63% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Oakwood Medical Centre's phone number?
01606 544241.