Darlaston Medical Centre, Wednesbury: patient reviews and CQC rating
Darlaston Medical Centre is a GP practice in Wednesbury with 3,965 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 71% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Black Country: 74%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in November 2017. It has 1.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,288 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Darlaston Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 68%, above the England figure of 54%. Its weakest is the share who said they were treated with care and concern: 73%, below the England figure of 86%. Of the 11 results in the table, 1 is above England and 3 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 7 within it.
On overall experience it is 5th of the 9 practices in Wednesbury with 50 or more responses. 56% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points lower than in 2025 (73%). 113 patients answered the survey (response rate 15%).
| Survey question | Darlaston Medical Centre | Black Country | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 71% | 74% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 56% | 53% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 66% | 54% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 68% | 54% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 82% | 81% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 67% | 68% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 65% | 65% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 83% | 85% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 73% | 84% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 81% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 80% | 89% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Darlaston Medical Centre is Good, published in November 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good. Its previous overall rating was Requires Improvement (December 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
3,965 patients were registered at Darlaston Medical Centre in September 2026, down 3.1% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
13% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 1.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,288 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Black Country's 2,193. The practice also has 0.7 nurses (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| August 2024 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| August 2025 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
| August 2026 | 1.7 | 1.7 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,477 appointments a month, or 625 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 71% were face to face (England: 63%). 53% took place on the day they were booked and 6% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
46% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Darlaston Medical Centre | Black Country | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 625 | 561 | 510 |
| Face to face | 71% | 64% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 53% | 51% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 6% | 4% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for diabetes (10.6% against 7.9%). It has a lower share for cancer (2.3% against 3.8%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 40.9 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 79.3 years for women and 74.9 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 15.2% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.7% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 10.6% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.0% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.8% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.0% | 3.0% |
| Cancer | All ages | 2.3% | 3.8% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.7% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.6% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.4% | 1.9% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.3% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.9% | 1.1% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.6% | 1.2% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 52.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 60.0% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 62.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 72.6% | 74.9% |
Darlaston Medical Centre, The Surgery, Birmingham Street, Walsall Road, Darlaston, Wednesbury, WS10 9JS. Phone: 0121 526 7151. Website: www.darlastonmedicalcentre.com.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Darlaston Family Practice | 0.4 km | 65% |
| Darlaston Health Centre | 0.4 km | 83% |
| Rough Hay Surgery | 1.1 km | 78% |
| The Spires Health Centre | 1.5 km | 60% |
| Moxley Medical Centre | 1.6 km | 73% |
- Croft Surgery (91% overall experience good)
- Lockfield Surgery (75% overall experience good)
- Lockstown Practice (87% overall experience good)
- Moxley Medical Centre (73% overall experience good)
- Rough Hay Surgery (78% overall experience good)
- Sina Health Centre (68% overall experience good)
- The Keys Family Practice (66% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Darlaston Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 71% of patients described their overall experience of Darlaston Medical Centre as good, against 77% across England. 56% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Darlaston Medical Centre?
3,965 patients were registered in September 2026, down 3.1% on a year earlier.
What is Darlaston Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in November 2017.
How many GPs does Darlaston Medical Centre have?
1.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (3 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,288 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Darlaston Medical Centre face to face?
71% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Darlaston Medical Centre's phone number?
0121 526 7151.