Western Dales PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Western Dales PCN is a primary care network of 3 GP practices with 18,374 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 93% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77%. Its practices have 1,275 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 3 practices in Western Dales PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 92% at Bentham Medical Practice to 95% at Lunesdale Surgery, with a median of 93% (England: 77%). 3 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Sedbergh Medical Practice has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (97%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lunesdale Surgery | 6,444 | 95% | 93% | Good | 1,600 |
| Sedbergh Medical Practice | 4,526 | 93% | 97% | Good | 1,100 |
| Bentham Medical Practice | 7,404 | 92% | 83% | Good | 1,181 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 335 responses, against Lancashire and South Cumbria and England.
| Survey question | Western Dales PCN | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 93% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 90% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 76% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 76% | 57% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 99% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 94% | 74% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 82% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 96% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 96% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 99% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 98% | 91% | 90% |
There are 1,275 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Western Dales PCN, fewer than England's 2,171 and Lancashire and South Cumbria's 2,288. Practices recorded 489 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 83% of them face to face. 42% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
32% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 1.9% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Western Dales PCN | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 1,275 | 2,288 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 489 | 471 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 83% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 42% | 42% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 5% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 32% | 21% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Western Dales PCN is atrial fibrillation (3.7% against 2.2%), and the furthest below is osteoporosis (0.4% against 1.2%).
| Condition register | Age group | Western Dales PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 18.0% | 15.2% | 3,361 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 11.7% | 14.3% | 1,794 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.4% | 6.6% | 1,513 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.4% | 7.9% | 995 |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.7% | 3.8% | 1,061 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.1% | 4.6% | 624 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.9% | 3.0% | 733 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.7% | 2.2% | 700 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.0% | 1.9% | 559 |
| COPD | All ages | 1.7% | 1.9% | 317 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% | 175 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.1% | 1.1% | 201 |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.0% | 0.8% | 192 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 148 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 117 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% | 138 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% | 90 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% | 78 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.4% | 1.2% | 40 |
- Barrow Together PCN (8 practices)
- Carnforth and Milnthorpe PCN (2 practices)
- Eden (Cumbria) PCN (10 practices)
- Filey and Scarborough PCN (4 practices)
- Grange and Lakes PCN (6 practices)
- Hambleton North PCN (4 practices)
- Hambleton South PCN (4 practices)
- Heart of Harrogate PCN (4 practices)
- Kendal PCN (3 practices)
- Knaresborough & Rural PCN (6 practices)
- Mid Furness PCN (4 practices)
- Mowbray Square PCN (2 practices)
Which practices are in Western Dales PCN?
Bentham Medical Practice, Lunesdale Surgery and Sedbergh Medical Practice.
How do patients rate Western Dales PCN?
93% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, above the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does Western Dales PCN cover?
18,374 registered patients across 3 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Western Dales PCN have?
1,275 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.