Garstang Medical Practice, Preston: patient reviews and CQC rating
Garstang Medical Practice is a GP practice in Preston with 20,691 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 90% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Lancashire and South Cumbria: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in February 2019. It has 10.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,998 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Garstang Medical Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 76%, above the England figure of 54%. Its result closest to England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 60%, against 57% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 9 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 2 within it.
On overall experience it is 5th of the 32 practices in Preston with 50 or more responses. 60% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 1 point higher than in 2025 (89%). 173 patients answered the survey (response rate 38%).
| Survey question | Garstang Medical Practice | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 90% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 60% | 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 | 83% | 74% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 76% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 93% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 93% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 97% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 97% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 94% of 105 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Garstang Medical Practice is Good, published in February 2019. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (December 2014).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
20,691 patients were registered at Garstang Medical Practice in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
31% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 10.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,998 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Lancashire and South Cumbria's 2,288. The practice also has 10.9 nurses and 7.9 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 11.5 | 12.6 |
| August 2024 | 11.5 | 13.8 |
| August 2025 | 12.1 | 13.3 |
| August 2026 | 10.4 | 12.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 10,607 appointments a month, or 513 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 89% were face to face (England: 63%). 29% took place on the day they were booked and 3% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
27% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 2% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Garstang Medical Practice | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 513 | 471 | 510 |
| Face to face | 89% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 29% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 3% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for atrial fibrillation (4.0% against 2.2%), stroke or TIA (3.2% against 1.9%) and dementia (1.3% against 0.8%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.7% against 1.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 11.0 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.3 years for women and 80.7 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 19.7% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 15.5% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.1% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.7% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.3% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.1% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.1% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 4.0% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.2% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.8% | 1.9% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.3% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.7% | 1.2% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 80.0% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 79.7% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 79.7% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 78.7% | 74.9% |
Garstang Medical Practice, Kepple Lane, Garstang, Preston, PR3 1PB. Phone: 01995 607399. Website: www.garstangmedicalpractice.nhs.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Great Eccleston Health Centre | 7.3 km | 60% |
| North Preston Medical Practice | 12.6 km | 71% |
| Lytham Road Surgery | 13.1 km | 92% |
| The Over-Wyre Medical Centre | 13.1 km | 80% |
| Stonebridge Surgery | 13.8 km | 85% |
How do patients rate Garstang Medical Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 90% of patients described their overall experience of Garstang Medical Practice as good, above the England figure of 77%. 60% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Garstang Medical Practice?
20,691 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.1% on a year earlier.
What is Garstang Medical Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in February 2019.
How many GPs does Garstang Medical Practice have?
10.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (15 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,998 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Garstang Medical Practice face to face?
89% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Garstang Medical Practice's phone number?
01995 607399.