Blackburn West PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Blackburn West PCN is a primary care network of 6 GP practices with 47,522 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 79% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England. Its practices have 2,735 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 West PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 58% at The Family Practice to 91% at Witton Medical Centre, with a median of 81% (England: 77%). 1 is above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Redlam Surgery has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (84%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Witton Medical Centre | 11,245 | 91% | 80% | Good | 2,774 |
| Oakenhurst Medical Practice | 9,855 | 84% | 63% | Good | 2,292 |
| Redlam Surgery | 4,372 | 83% | 84% | Good | 2,277 |
| Limefield and Cherry Tree Surgeries | 4,756 | 79% | 76% | Good | 4,459 |
| Little Harwood Health Centre | 12,228 | 72% | 40% | Good | 3,032 |
| The Family Practice | 5,066 | 58% | 40% | Good | 2,533 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 633 responses, against Lancashire and South Cumbria and England.
| Survey question | Blackburn West PCN | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 79% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 62% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 43% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 51% | 57% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 82% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 72% | 74% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 71% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 88% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 86% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 92% | 91% | 90% |
There are 2,735 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Blackburn West PCN, more than England's 2,171 and Lancashire and South Cumbria's 2,288. Practices recorded 389 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 74% of them face to face. 49% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
17% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 1.4% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Blackburn West PCN | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 2,735 | 2,288 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 389 | 471 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 74% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 49% | 42% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 6% | 5% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 17% | 21% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Blackburn West PCN is serious mental illness (1.4% against 1.0%), and the furthest below is osteoporosis (0.6% against 1.2%).
| Condition register | Age group | Blackburn West PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.8% | 15.2% | 7,082 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 13.5% | 14.3% | 5,013 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.5% | 7.9% | 3,591 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.8% | 6.6% | 3,021 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.8% | 4.6% | 1,421 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.6% | 3.0% | 1,712 |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.4% | 3.8% | 1,607 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.0% | 2.2% | 966 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% | 960 |
| COPD | All ages | 1.9% | 1.9% | 909 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.4% | 1.0% | 689 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.0% | 1.1% | 464 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 337 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 320 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% | 328 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 320 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 316 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.6% | 1.2% | 94 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% | 153 |
- Barrow Together PCN (8 practices)
- Blackburn East PCN (7 practices)
- Blackburn North 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 West PCN?
Limefield and Cherry Tree Surgeries, Little Harwood Health Centre, Oakenhurst Medical Practice, Redlam Surgery, The Family Practice and Witton Medical Centre.
How do patients rate Blackburn West PCN?
79% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, against 77% across England.
How many patients does Blackburn West PCN cover?
47,522 registered patients across 6 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Blackburn West PCN have?
2,735 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.