West Northumberland PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
West Northumberland PCN is a primary care network of 10 GP practices with 59,030 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 91% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77%. Its practices have 1,628 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 10 practices in West Northumberland PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 85% at White Medical Group to 95% at Corbridge Medical Group, with a median of 93% (England: 77%). 10 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Humshaugh and Wark Medical Group has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (98%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corbridge Medical Group | 7,366 | 95% | 94% | Good | 1,459 |
| Scots Gap Medical Group | 2,207 | 94% | 97% | Good | 1,415 |
| Humshaugh and Wark Medical Group | 3,293 | 94% | 98% | Good | 1,888 |
| The Sele Medical Practice | 5,863 | 93% | 91% | Good | 1,533 |
| Haltwhistle Medical Group | 5,613 | 93% | 81% | Good | 1,341 |
| Branch End Surgery | 5,416 | 93% | 92% | Good | 1,804 |
| Prudhoe Medical Group | 6,745 | 91% | 73% | Outstanding | 1,881 |
| Bellingham Practice | 3,428 | 90% | 94% | Outstanding | 1,720 |
| Burn Brae Medical Group | 10,392 | 89% | 79% | Outstanding | 1,483 |
| White Medical Group | 8,707 | 85% | 69% | Good | 2,020 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 1,137 responses, against North East and North Cumbria and England.
| Survey question | West Northumberland PCN | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 91% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 84% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 72% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 72% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 94% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 89% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 75% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 94% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 93% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 96% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 95% | 91% | 90% |
There are 1,628 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in West Northumberland PCN, fewer than England's 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. Practices recorded 509 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 73% of them face to face. 34% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
31% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 0.2% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | West Northumberland PCN | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 1,628 | 2,088 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 509 | 550 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 73% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 34% | 42% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 4% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 31% | 22% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in West Northumberland PCN is heart failure (1.9% against 1.1%), and the furthest below is serious mental illness (0.9% against 1.0%).
| Condition register | Age group | West Northumberland PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 20.0% | 15.2% | 11,840 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 15.5% | 14.3% | 7,660 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.2% | 6.6% | 4,637 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.6% | 7.9% | 3,796 |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.2% | 3.8% | 3,651 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.9% | 4.6% | 2,917 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.1% | 3.0% | 2,399 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.7% | 2.2% | 2,214 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.1% | 1.9% | 1,852 |
| COPD | All ages | 2.2% | 1.9% | 1,295 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 2.0% | 1.2% | 619 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.9% | 1.1% | 1,097 |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.2% | 0.8% | 734 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 451 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% | 534 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 459 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 452 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 442 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% | 316 |
- Blyth PCN (2 practices)
- Cramlington Seaton Valley PCN (4 practices)
- Northumbria PCN (9 practices)
- Wansbeck PCN (4 practices)
- Well Up North PCN (7 practices)
Which practices are in West Northumberland PCN?
Bellingham Practice, Branch End Surgery, Burn Brae Medical Group, Corbridge Medical Group, Haltwhistle Medical Group, Humshaugh and Wark Medical Group, Prudhoe Medical Group, Scots Gap Medical Group, The Sele Medical Practice and White Medical Group.
How do patients rate West Northumberland PCN?
91% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, above the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does West Northumberland PCN cover?
59,030 registered patients across 10 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does West Northumberland PCN have?
1,628 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.