Rainford Health Centre, St. Helens: patient reviews and CQC rating
Rainford Health Centre is a GP practice in St. Helens with 4,786 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 97% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Cheshire and Merseyside: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in November 2016. It has 2.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,744 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Rainford Health Centre
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 90%, above the England figure of 57%. Its result closest to England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 71%, against 69% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 6 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 5 within it.
On overall experience it is 2nd of the 22 practices in St Helens with 50 or more responses. 90% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 1 point lower than in 2025 (98%). 100 patients answered the survey (response rate 34%).
| Survey question | Rainford Health Centre | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 97% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 90% | 57% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 74% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 60% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 96% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 91% | 73% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 71% | 73% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 92% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 92% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 97% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 96% of 164 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Rainford Health 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 |
4,786 patients were registered at Rainford Health Centre in September 2026, up 0.9% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
32% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,744 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Cheshire and Merseyside's 1,971. The practice also has 1.3 nurses and 1.2 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 2.4 | 6.0 |
| August 2024 | 2.4 | 6.7 |
| August 2025 | 3.1 | 7.1 |
| August 2026 | 2.7 | 5.5 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,309 appointments a month, or 483 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 53% were face to face (England: 63%). 34% took place on the day they were booked and 3% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
63% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Rainford Health Centre | Cheshire and Merseyside | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 483 | 492 | 510 |
| Face to face | 53% | 60% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 34% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 3% | 4% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for palliative or supportive care needs (2.1% against 0.6%), atrial fibrillation (4.6% against 2.2%) and high blood pressure (25.8% against 15.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 11.7 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.9 years for women and 79.5 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 25.8% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 21.6% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 10.1% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.3% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.0% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.9% | 3.8% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 4.6% | 2.2% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.6% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.5% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.4% | 1.9% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 2.1% | 0.6% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.7% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.6% | 1.2% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 78.0% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 82.9% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 81.1% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 87.0% | 74.9% |
Rainford Health Centre, Higher Lane, Rainford, St. Helens, WA11 8AZ. Phone: 01744 882855. Website: www.rainfordhealthcentre.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Kenneth MacRae Medical Centre | 0.4 km | 98% |
| Excel Primary Care | 4.4 km | 68% |
| Windermere Medical Centre | 4.5 km | 93% |
| Hall Green Surgery | 5.2 km | 95% |
| Phoenix Medical Centre | 5.4 km | 79% |
- Bethany Medical Centre (86% overall experience good)
- Billinge Medical Practice (93% overall experience good)
- Garswood Surgery (78% overall experience good)
- Kenneth MacRae Medical Centre (98% overall experience good)
- Windermere Medical Centre (93% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Rainford Health Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 97% of patients described their overall experience of Rainford Health Centre as good, above the England figure of 77%. 90% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Rainford Health Centre?
4,786 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.9% on a year earlier.
What is Rainford Health Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in November 2016.
How many GPs does Rainford Health Centre have?
2.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (4 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,744 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Rainford Health Centre face to face?
53% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Rainford Health Centre's phone number?
01744 882855.