Preston & South Ribble PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Preston & South Ribble PCN is a primary care network of 4 GP practices with 26,816 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 83% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77%. Its practices have 1,795 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 4 practices in Preston & South Ribble PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 74% at The Beeches Medical Centre to 86% at Fishergate Hill Surgery, with a median of 82% (England: 77%). 1 is above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. The Beeches Medical Centre 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fishergate Hill Surgery | 6,707 | 86% | 78% | Good | 2,734 |
| Longton Health Centre | 10,257 | 85% | 76% | Good | 1,557 |
| St Fillans Medical Centre | 7,852 | 80% | 62% | Good | 1,599 |
| The Beeches Medical Centre | 2,000 | 74% | 87% | Good | 2,027 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 440 responses, against Lancashire and South Cumbria and England.
| Survey question | Preston & South Ribble PCN | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 83% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 73% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 73% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 64% | 57% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 90% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 82% | 74% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 78% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 89% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 89% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 96% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 96% | 91% | 90% |
There are 1,795 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Preston & South Ribble PCN, fewer than England's 2,171 and Lancashire and South Cumbria's 2,288. Practices recorded 603 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 66% of them face to face. 34% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
25% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 1.7% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Preston & South Ribble PCN | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 1,795 | 2,288 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 603 | 471 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 66% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 34% | 42% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 5% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 25% | 21% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Preston & South Ribble PCN is heart failure (2.5% against 1.1%), and the furthest below is learning disability (0.3% against 0.6%).
| Condition register | Age group | Preston & South Ribble PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 18.4% | 15.2% | 5,030 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 16.6% | 14.3% | 3,751 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.7% | 6.6% | 2,014 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.3% | 4.6% | 1,651 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.2% | 7.9% | 1,659 |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.7% | 3.8% | 1,568 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.8% | 3.0% | 1,040 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.2% | 2.2% | 875 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 2.5% | 1.1% | 693 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.4% | 1.9% | 667 |
| COPD | All ages | 1.8% | 1.9% | 488 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% | 306 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.0% | 1.2% | 128 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.9% | 0.8% | 247 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 198 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 190 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 199 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 194 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% | 83 |
- Bridgedale South Ribble PCN (5 practices)
- Chorley Together PCN (6 practices)
- Greater Preston PCN (9 practices)
- Leyland PCN (6 practices)
- Preston North & East PCN (8 practices)
Which practices are in Preston & South Ribble PCN?
Fishergate Hill Surgery, Longton Health Centre, St Fillans Medical Centre and The Beeches Medical Centre.
How do patients rate Preston & South Ribble PCN?
83% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, above the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does Preston & South Ribble PCN cover?
26,816 registered patients across 4 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Preston & South Ribble PCN have?
1,795 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.