Talbot Medical Centre, South Shields: patient reviews and CQC rating
Talbot Medical Centre is a GP practice in South Shields with 7,633 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 85% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (North East and North Cumbria: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in November 2016. It has 2.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,688 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Talbot Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who found the reception and administrative team helpful: 98%, above the England figure of 85%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 45%, against 58% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 5 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 6 within it.
On overall experience it is 4th of the 10 practices in South Shields with 50 or more responses. 69% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points lower than in 2025 (87%). 154 patients answered the survey (response rate 32%).
| Survey question | Talbot Medical Centre | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 85% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 69% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 45% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 54% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 98% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 82% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 72% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 93% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 89% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 96% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 87% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 96% of 176 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Talbot Medical Centre is Good, published in November 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
7,633 patients were registered at Talbot Medical Centre in September 2026, down 2.2% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
23% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,688 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. The practice also has 3.7 nurses and 1.4 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| August 2024 | 2.8 | 3.9 |
| August 2025 | 2.8 | 3.7 |
| August 2026 | 2.8 | 3.9 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,915 appointments a month, or 513 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 68% were face to face (England: 63%). 34% took place on the day they were booked and 6% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
25% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 6% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Talbot Medical Centre | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 513 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 68% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 34% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 6% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 6% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for COPD (5.1% against 1.9%), peripheral arterial disease (1.3% against 0.6%) and chronic kidney disease (8.3% against 4.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 38.9 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 80.9 years for women and 76.1 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 17.6% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 16.2% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 10.3% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 8.3% | 4.6% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.6% | 6.6% |
| COPD | All ages | 5.1% | 1.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.8% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.7% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.7% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.6% | 2.2% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.7% | 1.1% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.7% | 1.2% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 71.9% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 71.9% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 74.5% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 78.3% | 74.9% |
Talbot Medical Centre, Stanley Street, South Shields, NE34 0BX. Phone: 0191 455 3867. Website: www.talbot-medical.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Farnham Medical Centre | 0.4 km | 78% |
| Wenlock Road Surgery | 0.9 km | 74% |
| West View Surgery | 1.5 km | 77% |
| Imeary Medical Group | 1.5 km | 89% |
| Trinity Medical Centre | 1.7 km | 79% |
- Farnham Medical Centre (78% overall experience good)
- St Georges & Riverside Medical Group (82% overall experience good)
- Trinity Medical Centre (79% overall experience good)
- Wenlock Road Surgery (74% overall experience good)
- West View Surgery (77% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Talbot Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 85% of patients described their overall experience of Talbot Medical Centre as good, above the England figure of 77%. 69% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Talbot Medical Centre?
7,633 patients were registered in September 2026, down 2.2% on a year earlier.
What is Talbot Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in November 2016.
How many GPs does Talbot Medical Centre have?
2.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (5 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,688 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Talbot Medical Centre face to face?
68% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Talbot Medical Centre's phone number?
0191 455 3867.