Runcorn PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Runcorn PCN is a primary care network of 6 GP practices with 67,524 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 72% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77%. Its practices have 1,921 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 6 practices in Runcorn PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 59% at Murdishaw Health Centre to 83% at Castlefields Health Centre, with a median of 70% (England: 77%). 0 are above England and 3 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Castlefields Health Centre has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (68%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Castlefields Health Centre | 15,552 | 83% | 68% | Good | 1,837 |
| Brookvale Practice | 8,699 | 79% | 60% | Good | 1,447 |
| Grove House Practice | 14,373 | 72% | 45% | Requires improvement | 1,824 |
| Weaver Vale Practice | 8,621 | 67% | 48% | Good | 1,577 |
| Tower House Practice | 12,475 | 66% | 45% | Good | 2,437 |
| Murdishaw Health Centre | 7,804 | 59% | 32% | Good | 3,547 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 662 responses, against Cheshire and Merseyside and England.
| Survey question | Runcorn PCN | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 72% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 51% | 57% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 54% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 56% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 82% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 72% | 73% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 65% | 73% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 86% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 86% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 93% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 89% | 91% | 90% |
There are 1,921 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Runcorn PCN, fewer than England's 2,171 and Cheshire and Merseyside's 1,971. Practices recorded 450 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 67% of them face to face. 42% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
19% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 0.9% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Runcorn PCN | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 1,921 | 1,971 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 450 | 492 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 67% | 60% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 42% | 48% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 7% | 5% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 19% | 20% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Runcorn PCN is palliative care (2.1% against 0.6%), and the furthest below is osteoporosis (0.7% against 1.2%).
| Condition register | Age group | Runcorn PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 22.2% | 14.3% | 12,138 |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 17.7% | 15.2% | 12,139 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.3% | 7.9% | 5,150 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.3% | 6.6% | 5,342 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.3% | 3.0% | 2,949 |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.2% | 3.8% | 2,875 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.2% | 4.6% | 2,282 |
| COPD | All ages | 3.5% | 1.9% | 2,421 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.5% | 2.2% | 1,738 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.1% | 1.9% | 1,450 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 2.1% | 0.6% | 1,435 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.3% | 0.8% | 720 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.2% | 1.1% | 813 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% | 575 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.0% | 1.0% | 682 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% | 630 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.7% | 1.2% | 192 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 489 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% | 464 |
- Chaw (Chelford, Handforth, Alderley Edge, Wilmslow) PCN (6 practices)
- Chester East PCN (4 practices)
- Nantwich & Rural PCN (5 practices)
- Princeway PCN (2 practices)
- Rural Alliance PCN (5 practices)
- Smash PCN (7 practices)
- Warrington Central East PCN (5 practices)
- Widnes PCN (8 practices)
Which practices are in Runcorn PCN?
Brookvale Practice, Castlefields Health Centre, Grove House Practice, Murdishaw Health Centre, Tower House Practice and Weaver Vale Practice.
How do patients rate Runcorn PCN?
72% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, below the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does Runcorn PCN cover?
67,524 registered patients across 6 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Runcorn PCN have?
1,921 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.