Southlands Medical Group, Sunderland: patient reviews and CQC rating
Southlands Medical Group is a GP practice in Sunderland with 11,062 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 96% 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 June 2015. It has 5.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,226 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Southlands Medical Group
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 had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 99%, above the England figure of 93%. Of the 11 results in the table, 11 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error.
On overall experience it is 1st of the 26 practices in Sunderland with 50 or more responses. 90% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 5 points higher than in 2025 (91%). 114 patients answered the survey (response rate 27%).
| Survey question | Southlands Medical Group | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 96% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 90% | 62% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 78% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 76% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 97% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 93% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 83% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 98% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 98% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 99% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 99% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 99% of 512 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Southlands Medical Group is Good, published in June 2015. One key question is rated differently: Caring Outstanding.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Outstanding |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
11,062 patients were registered at Southlands Medical Group in September 2026, up 3.5% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
19% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 5.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,226 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and North East and North Cumbria's 2,088. The practice also has 4.2 nurses and 3.9 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.8 | 4.6 |
| August 2024 | 3.8 | 5.7 |
| August 2025 | 2.9 | 5.9 |
| August 2026 | 5.0 | 7.7 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 4,998 appointments a month, or 452 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 76% were face to face (England: 63%). 29% took place on the day they were booked and 8% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
43% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Southlands Medical Group | North East and North Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 452 | 550 | 510 |
| Face to face | 76% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 29% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 8% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for COPD (3.4% against 1.9%), a learning disability (0.9% against 0.6%) and epilepsy (1.1% against 0.8%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.4% against 1.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 26.4 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 81.5 years for women and 78.6 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 17.8% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.4% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.9% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.0% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.6% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.0% | 3.0% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.9% | 4.6% |
| COPD | All ages | 3.4% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.8% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.1% | 1.9% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.8% | 1.1% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.4% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 77.3% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 78.3% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 77.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 75.5% | 74.9% |
Southlands Medical Group, Ryhope Health Centre, Black Road, Ryhope, Sunderland, SR2 0RX. Phone: 0191 521 0210. Website: www.southlandsmedicalgroup.nhs.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Village Surgery | 2.5 km | 92% |
| New Silksworth Medical Practice | 2.5 km | 78% |
| Dr. Joseph, Dr. Herbert & Dr. Devlin | 2.9 km | 95% |
| Deerness Park Medical Group | 3.2 km | 68% |
| Park Lane Practice | 3.5 km | 75% |
- Ashburn Medical Centre (85% overall experience good)
- Deerness Park Medical Group (68% overall experience good)
- Dr SM Bhate and Dr H El-Shakankery (83% overall experience good)
- Dr. Joseph, Dr. Herbert & Dr. Devlin (95% overall experience good)
- Park Lane Practice (75% overall experience good)
- The New City Medical Group (81% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Southlands Medical Group?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 96% of patients described their overall experience of Southlands Medical Group as good, above the England figure of 77%. 90% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Southlands Medical Group?
11,062 patients were registered in September 2026, up 3.5% on a year earlier.
What is Southlands Medical Group's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in June 2015.
How many GPs does Southlands Medical Group have?
5.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,226 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Southlands Medical Group face to face?
76% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Southlands Medical Group's phone number?
0191 521 0210.