Darwen PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Darwen PCN is a primary care network of 3 GP practices with 34,162 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 84% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77%. Its practices have 1,918 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 3 practices in Darwen PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 79% at Darwen Healthlink, Darwen Health Centre to 89% at Dr M Ninan and partners, with a median of 87% (England: 77%). 2 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Dr AK Gupta's Practice has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (87%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr M Ninan and partners | 14,816 | 89% | 82% | Outstanding | 2,009 |
| Dr AK Gupta's Practice | 4,218 | 87% | 87% | Good | 739 |
| Darwen Healthlink, Darwen Health Centre | 15,128 | 79% | 58% | Good | 3,198 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 332 responses, against Lancashire and South Cumbria and England.
| Survey question | Darwen PCN | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 84% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 71% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 65% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 68% | 57% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 89% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 82% | 74% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 71% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 91% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 90% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 96% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 92% | 91% | 90% |
There are 1,918 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Darwen PCN, fewer than England's 2,171 and Lancashire and South Cumbria's 2,288. Practices recorded 424 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 69% of them face to face. 48% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
19% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists grew by 0.8% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Darwen PCN | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 1,918 | 2,288 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 424 | 471 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 69% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 48% | 42% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 6% | 5% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 19% | 21% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Darwen PCN is depression (27.3% against 14.3%), and the furthest below is learning disability (0.5% against 0.6%).
| Condition register | Age group | Darwen PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 27.3% | 14.3% | 7,390 |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 19.3% | 15.2% | 6,491 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.4% | 6.6% | 2,664 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.7% | 7.9% | 2,122 |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.2% | 3.8% | 1,422 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.2% | 4.6% | 1,133 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.8% | 3.0% | 1,270 |
| COPD | All ages | 2.5% | 1.9% | 843 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.4% | 2.2% | 813 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.1% | 1.9% | 692 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 2.0% | 1.2% | 269 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.3% | 1.1% | 443 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.2% | 1.0% | 409 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% | 283 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 273 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 221 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 252 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% | 232 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% | 162 |
- Barrow Together PCN (8 practices)
- Blackburn East PCN (7 practices)
- Blackburn North PCN (6 practices)
- Blackburn West PCN (6 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 Darwen PCN?
Darwen Healthlink, Darwen Health Centre, Dr AK Gupta's Practice and Dr M Ninan and partners.
How do patients rate Darwen PCN?
84% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, above the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does Darwen PCN cover?
34,162 registered patients across 3 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Darwen PCN have?
1,918 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.