Darlington PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Darlington PCN is a primary care network of 11 GP practices with 114,246 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 87% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77%. Its practices have 2,479 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 11 practices in Darlington PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 82% at Clifton Court Medical Practice to 99% at Rockliffe Court Surgery, with a median of 86% (England: 77%). 6 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Rockliffe Court Surgery has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (98%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockliffe Court Surgery | 6,313 | 99% | 98% | Good | 3,165 |
| Orchard Court | 8,638 | 96% | 86% | Outstanding | 2,196 |
| Middleton and Dinsdale Medical Practice | 5,961 | 94% | 86% | Good | 3,073 |
| Blacketts Medical Practice | 11,617 | 89% | 93% | Good | 2,184 |
| Denmark Street Surgery | 14,574 | 87% | 53% | Good | 2,055 |
| Parkgate Medical Practice | 4,664 | 86% | 77% | Good | 3,269 |
| Whinfield Medical Practice | 12,152 | 84% | 51% | Good | 2,057 |
| Carmel Medical Practice | 11,883 | 84% | 60% | Good | 3,145 |
| Neasham Road Surgery | 13,126 | 83% | 75% | Good | 3,304 |
| Moorlands Surgery | 13,069 | 83% | 52% | Good | 2,305 |
| Clifton Court Medical Practice | 12,249 | 82% | 75% | Good | 2,430 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 1,161 responses, against North East and North Cumbria and England.
| Survey question | Darlington PCN | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 87% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 70% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 66% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 66% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 92% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 83% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 73% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 91% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 90% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 93% | 91% | 90% |
There are 2,479 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Darlington PCN, more than England's 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. Practices recorded 505 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 75% of them face to face. 36% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
21% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 0.7% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Darlington PCN | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 2,479 | 2,088 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 505 | 550 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 75% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 36% | 42% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 4% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 21% | 22% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Darlington PCN is palliative care (0.9% against 0.6%), and the furthest below is osteoporosis (0.8% against 1.2%).
| Condition register | Age group | Darlington PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 18.4% | 15.2% | 21,130 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 16.7% | 14.3% | 15,399 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.5% | 7.9% | 8,936 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.4% | 6.6% | 8,016 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.9% | 4.6% | 4,535 |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.0% | 3.8% | 4,639 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.3% | 3.0% | 3,756 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.6% | 2.2% | 2,966 |
| COPD | All ages | 2.5% | 1.9% | 2,840 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% | 2,638 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.7% | 1.1% | 1,925 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.0% | 1.0% | 1,196 |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.0% | 0.8% | 1,107 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 869 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% | 1,049 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 867 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% | 997 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 878 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.8% | 1.2% | 357 |
- Central Middlesbrough PCN Ltd (7 practices)
- East Cleveland PCN (5 practices)
- Eston PCN (3 practices)
- Greater Middlesbrough PCN (8 practices)
- Hartlepool PCN (5 practices)
- North Stockton PCN (3 practices)
- Redcar Coastal PCN (7 practices)
- Stockton PCN (6 practices)
Which practices are in Darlington PCN?
Blacketts Medical Practice, Carmel Medical Practice, Clifton Court Medical Practice, Denmark Street Surgery, Middleton and Dinsdale Medical Practice, Moorlands Surgery, Neasham Road Surgery, Orchard Court, Parkgate Medical Practice, Rockliffe Court Surgery and Whinfield Medical Practice.
How do patients rate Darlington PCN?
87% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, above the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does Darlington PCN cover?
114,246 registered patients across 11 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Darlington PCN have?
2,479 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.