The Thornton Practice, Thornton Cleveleys: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Thornton Practice is a GP practice in Thornton Cleveleys with 12,832 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 88% 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 Outstanding overall, in a report published in December 2018. It has 5.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,218 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Thornton Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 79%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 54%, against 58% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 8 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 3 within it.
On overall experience it is 2nd of the 5 practices in Thornton Cleveleys with 50 or more responses. 79% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 5 points higher than in 2025 (83%). 108 patients answered the survey (response rate 35%).
| Survey question | The Thornton Practice | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 88% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 79% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 54% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 51% | 57% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 95% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 82% | 74% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 79% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 95% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 94% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 99% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 94% | 91% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for The Thornton Practice is Outstanding, published in December 2018. 2 key questions are rated differently: Safe Good and Caring Good. Its previous overall rating was Good (January 2015).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Outstanding |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Outstanding |
| Effective | Outstanding |
12,832 patients were registered at The Thornton Practice in September 2026, down 0.9% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
29% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 5.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,218 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Lancashire and South Cumbria's 2,288. The practice also has 7.0 nurses and 6.3 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 6.8 | 8.5 |
| August 2024 | 5.5 | 6.6 |
| August 2025 | 5.7 | 6.7 |
| August 2026 | 5.8 | 7.7 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 8,516 appointments a month, or 664 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 57% were face to face (England: 63%). 48% took place on the day they were booked and 3% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
49% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Thornton Practice | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 664 | 471 | 510 |
| Face to face | 57% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 48% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 3% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for heart failure (2.3% against 1.1%), coronary heart disease (5.2% against 3.0%) and peripheral arterial disease (1.0% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 15.2 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 82.7 years for women and 79.3 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 22.7% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.6% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.3% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.2% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.6% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.7% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 5.2% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.6% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.8% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 2.3% | 1.1% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.7% | 1.2% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 82.9% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 80.3% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 78.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 77.7% | 74.9% |
The Thornton Practice, Thornton Medical Centre, Church Road, Thornton Cleveleys, FY5 2TZ. Phone: 01253 956282.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Village Practice | 0.0 km | 92% |
| Beechwood Surgery | 0.7 km | 87% |
| Cleveleys Group Practice | 1.8 km | 79% |
| The Crescent Surgery | 1.8 km | 87% |
| Glenroyd Medical | 3.3 km | 66% |
- Cleveleys Group Practice (79% overall experience good)
- The Crescent Surgery (87% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Thornton Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 88% of patients described their overall experience of The Thornton Practice as good, above the England figure of 77%. 79% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Thornton Practice?
12,832 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.9% on a year earlier.
What is The Thornton Practice's CQC rating?
Outstanding overall, published in December 2018.
How many GPs does The Thornton Practice have?
5.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (8 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,218 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Thornton Practice face to face?
57% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Thornton Practice's phone number?
01253 956282.