Canalside PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Canalside PCN is a primary care network of 7 GP practices with 49,849 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 80% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77%. Its practices have 2,011 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 7 practices in Canalside PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 62% at Dr Abid Hamid to 92% at The Kingsway Practice, with a median of 81% (England: 77%). 3 are above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Kirkholt Medical Practice 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Kingsway Practice | 4,823 | 92% | 80% | Good | 1,444 |
| The Hive Health Centre | 5,615 | 89% | 79% | Good | 1,769 |
| Kirkholt Medical Practice | 5,270 | 86% | 80% | Good | 2,022 |
| Middleton Health Centre | 5,352 | 81% | 59% | Outstanding | 1,968 |
| Castleton Health Centre | 10,532 | 80% | 68% | Good | 2,468 |
| Wellfield Health Centre | 13,754 | 77% | 63% | Good | 1,794 |
| Dr Abid Hamid | 4,503 | 62% | 60% | Good | 4,444 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 647 responses, against Greater Manchester and England.
| Survey question | Canalside PCN | Greater Manchester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 80% | 79% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 68% | 63% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 57% | 61% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 60% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 84% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 75% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 63% | 71% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 86% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 86% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 91% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 89% | 91% | 90% |
There are 2,011 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Canalside PCN, close to England's 2,171 and Greater Manchester's 2,055. Practices recorded 434 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 77% of them face to face. 45% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
13% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists grew by 0.6% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Canalside PCN | Greater Manchester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 2,011 | 2,055 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 434 | 445 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 77% | 66% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 45% | 44% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 8% | 6% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 13% | 16% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Canalside PCN is osteoporosis (2.5% against 1.2%), and the furthest below is atrial fibrillation (1.5% against 2.2%).
| Condition register | Age group | Canalside PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 22.6% | 14.3% | 8,232 |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.5% | 15.2% | 7,109 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 10.0% | 7.9% | 3,701 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.5% | 6.6% | 3,379 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.1% | 4.6% | 1,851 |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.0% | 3.8% | 1,464 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.9% | 3.0% | 1,425 |
| COPD | All ages | 2.9% | 1.9% | 1,413 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 2.5% | 1.2% | 355 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.9% | 1.9% | 928 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.5% | 2.2% | 734 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.4% | 1.0% | 668 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.2% | 1.1% | 576 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% | 397 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 346 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% | 445 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 402 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 391 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.8% | 0.8% | 368 |
- Heywood PCN (5 practices)
- Middleton PCN (6 practices)
- Pennines PCN (6 practices)
- Rochdale North PCN (7 practices)
- The Bridge PCN (5 practices)
Which practices are in Canalside PCN?
Castleton Health Centre, Dr Abid Hamid, Kirkholt Medical Practice, Middleton Health Centre, The Hive Health Centre, The Kingsway Practice and Wellfield Health Centre.
How do patients rate Canalside PCN?
80% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, above the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does Canalside PCN cover?
49,849 registered patients across 7 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Canalside PCN have?
2,011 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.