Princeway PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Princeway PCN is a primary care network of 2 GP practices with 26,405 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 88% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77%. Its practices have 2,178 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 2 practices in Princeway PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 88% at Helsby Health Centre to 89% at The Knoll Surgery, with a median of 88% (England: 77%). 2 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Helsby Health Centre has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (75%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Knoll Surgery | 16,586 | 89% | 72% | Good | 2,416 |
| Helsby Health Centre | 9,819 | 88% | 75% | Good | 1,867 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 275 responses, against Cheshire and Merseyside and England.
| Survey question | Princeway PCN | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 88% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 73% | 57% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 59% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 61% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 86% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 79% | 73% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 80% | 73% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 93% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 91% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 98% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 95% | 91% | 90% |
There are 2,178 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Princeway PCN, close to England's 2,171 and Cheshire and Merseyside's 1,971. Practices recorded 476 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 76% of them face to face. 35% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
28% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 0.5% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Princeway PCN | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 2,178 | 1,971 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 476 | 492 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 76% | 60% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 35% | 48% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 5% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 28% | 20% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Princeway PCN is atrial fibrillation (3.9% against 2.2%), and the furthest below is serious mental illness (0.7% against 1.0%).
| Condition register | Age group | Princeway PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 19.9% | 15.2% | 5,291 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 15.3% | 14.3% | 3,374 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.7% | 7.9% | 1,713 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.4% | 6.6% | 1,862 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.2% | 4.6% | 1,360 |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.1% | 3.8% | 1,608 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.0% | 3.0% | 1,064 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.9% | 2.2% | 1,037 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.4% | 1.9% | 649 |
| COPD | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% | 534 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.6% | 1.1% | 416 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.5% | 1.2% | 195 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.3% | 0.8% | 301 |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.3% | 0.8% | 351 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% | 193 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% | 152 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 174 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% | 127 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% | 123 |
- Chester Central PCN (6 practices)
- Chester East PCN (4 practices)
- Chester South PCN (4 practices)
- Neston & Willaston PCN (3 practices)
- Northwich PCN (7 practices)
- One Ellesmere Port PCN (6 practices)
- Rural Alliance PCN (5 practices)
- Winsford PCN (5 practices)
Which practices are in Princeway PCN?
Helsby Health Centre and The Knoll Surgery.
How do patients rate Princeway PCN?
88% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, above the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does Princeway PCN cover?
26,405 registered patients across 2 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Princeway PCN have?
2,178 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.