Northwich PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Northwich PCN is a primary care network of 7 GP practices with 76,333 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 77% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England. Its practices have 2,059 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 7 practices in Northwich PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 65% at Oakwood Medical Centre to 92% at Firdale Medical Centre, with a median of 78% (England: 77%). 1 is above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Witton Street Surgery has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (77%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firdale Medical Centre | 11,769 | 92% | 74% | Good | 2,676 |
| Witton Street Surgery | 10,537 | 81% | 77% | Good | 1,996 |
| The Weaverham Surgery | 6,820 | 80% | 61% | Good | 2,304 |
| Watling Medical Practice | 6,729 | 78% | 50% | Good | 1,539 |
| Middlewich Road Surgery | 7,376 | 78% | 58% | Good | 1,327 |
| Danebridge Medical Practice | 23,991 | 71% | 32% | Good | 2,309 |
| Oakwood Medical Centre | 9,111 | 65% | 46% | Good | 2,219 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 746 responses, against Cheshire and Merseyside and England.
| Survey question | Northwich PCN | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 77% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 53% | 57% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 53% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 50% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 86% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 72% | 73% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 76% | 73% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 86% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 86% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 88% | 91% | 90% |
There are 2,059 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Northwich PCN, close to England's 2,171 and Cheshire and Merseyside's 1,971. Practices recorded 436 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 54% of them face to face. 55% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
22% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 0.4% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Northwich PCN | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 2,059 | 1,971 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 436 | 492 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 54% | 60% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 55% | 48% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 5% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 22% | 20% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Northwich PCN is heart failure (1.6% against 1.1%), and the furthest below is serious mental illness (0.9% against 1.0%).
| Condition register | Age group | Northwich PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 18.3% | 15.2% | 13,974 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 16.5% | 14.3% | 10,193 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.9% | 7.9% | 4,974 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.1% | 6.6% | 5,111 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.5% | 4.6% | 3,390 |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.8% | 3.8% | 3,646 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.5% | 3.0% | 2,666 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.9% | 2.2% | 2,233 |
| COPD | All ages | 2.4% | 1.9% | 1,796 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% | 1,719 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.6% | 1.1% | 1,209 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.2% | 1.2% | 400 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 593 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.9% | 0.8% | 712 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% | 681 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 506 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 535 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% | 479 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% | 418 |
- Chester Central PCN (6 practices)
- Chester East PCN (4 practices)
- Chester South PCN (4 practices)
- Neston & Willaston PCN (3 practices)
- One Ellesmere Port PCN (6 practices)
- Princeway PCN (2 practices)
- Rural Alliance PCN (5 practices)
- Winsford PCN (5 practices)
Which practices are in Northwich PCN?
Danebridge Medical Practice, Firdale Medical Centre, Middlewich Road Surgery, Oakwood Medical Centre, The Weaverham Surgery, Watling Medical Practice and Witton Street Surgery.
How do patients rate Northwich PCN?
77% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, against 77% across England.
How many patients does Northwich PCN cover?
76,333 registered patients across 7 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Northwich PCN have?
2,059 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.