Blackburn North PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Blackburn North PCN is a primary care network of 6 GP practices with 47,437 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 66% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77%. Its practices have 4,409 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 6 practices in Blackburn North PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 54% at Dr RC Rautray's Practice to 90% at Hollins Grove Surgery, with a median of 67% (England: 77%). 1 is above England and 3 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Hollins Grove Surgery has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (80%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollins Grove Surgery | 2,500 | 90% | 80% | Good | 3,750 |
| Brownhill Surgery | 6,363 | 75% | 60% | Good | 2,283 |
| Blakewater Healthcare | 10,721 | 70% | 54% | Good | 2,763 |
| Shifa Surgery | 11,444 | 65% | 50% | Good | 17,166 |
| Olive Medical Practice | 7,257 | 63% | 28% | Good | 3,202 |
| Dr RC Rautray's Practice | 9,152 | 54% | 39% | Good | 18,551 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 559 responses, against Lancashire and South Cumbria and England.
| Survey question | Blackburn North PCN | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 66% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 48% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 47% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 46% | 57% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 76% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 64% | 74% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 61% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 80% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 77% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 89% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 85% | 91% | 90% |
There are 4,409 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Blackburn North PCN, more than England's 2,171 and Lancashire and South Cumbria's 2,288. Practices recorded 479 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 74% of them face to face. 53% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
13% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 1.6% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Blackburn North PCN | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 4,409 | 2,288 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 479 | 471 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 74% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 53% | 42% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 6% | 5% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 13% | 21% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Blackburn North PCN is diabetes (11.9% against 7.9%), and the furthest below is osteoporosis (0.5% against 1.2%).
| Condition register | Age group | Blackburn North PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 13.3% | 15.2% | 6,454 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 13.0% | 14.3% | 4,708 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 11.9% | 7.9% | 4,429 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.9% | 6.6% | 3,105 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.3% | 3.0% | 1,588 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 2.7% | 4.6% | 978 |
| Cancer | All ages | 2.3% | 3.8% | 1,137 |
| COPD | All ages | 1.5% | 1.9% | 703 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.3% | 1.9% | 654 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.2% | 1.0% | 595 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.1% | 2.2% | 538 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 273 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% | 276 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.7% | 1.1% | 326 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% | 279 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.5% | 0.8% | 238 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.5% | 1.2% | 68 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% | 204 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% | 161 |
- Barrow Together PCN (8 practices)
- Blackburn East PCN (7 practices)
- Blackburn West PCN (6 practices)
- Darwen PCN (3 practices)
- Grange and Lakes PCN (6 practices)
- Kendal PCN (3 practices)
- Mid Furness PCN (4 practices)
- Western Dales PCN (3 practices)
Which practices are in Blackburn North PCN?
Blakewater Healthcare, Brownhill Surgery, Dr RC Rautray's Practice, Hollins Grove Surgery, Olive Medical Practice and Shifa Surgery.
How do patients rate Blackburn North PCN?
66% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, below the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does Blackburn North PCN cover?
47,437 registered patients across 6 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Blackburn North PCN have?
4,409 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.