Guide
Private clinics in England by region: the numbers
How many CQC-registered independent clinics there are in each region of England, what they're registered to do and how they're rated. Data as at 1 September 2026.
Last reviewed 29 October 2026. Written by the CQC Clinics team (editorial policy). This is general information, not medical or legal advice.
These figures describe the 5,382 active independent healthcare locations listed on CQC Clinics, taken from the CQC register as at 1 September 2026. They cover the types of independent service we list (see which clinics we list), not NHS GP practices, dentists, care homes or home care. Categories are our own, assigned from clinics' names, website addresses and CQC registration details, so category counts are a minimum rather than an exact total. You're welcome to use these figures with a link to this page.
Clinics by region
| Region | Clinics | Share of all clinics | With a published rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | 1,547 | 29% | 43% |
| South East | 909 | 17% | 38% |
| North West | 678 | 13% | 51% |
| East of England | 522 | 10% | 37% |
| South West | 432 | 8% | 41% |
| West Midlands | 409 | 8% | 49% |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 384 | 7% | 47% |
| East Midlands | 321 | 6% | 40% |
| North East | 169 | 3% | 56% |
London has the most independent clinics by a wide margin: 1,547, or 29% of all the clinics we list.
Largest towns and cities
Clinics within about 10 miles of each town or city centre (all of Greater London for London).
| Place | Clinics |
|---|---|
| London | 1,547 |
| Manchester | 262 |
| Birmingham | 203 |
| Slough | 131 |
| Leeds | 121 |
| Liverpool | 104 |
| Bristol | 94 |
| Newcastle Upon Tyne | 88 |
| Guildford | 87 |
| Nottingham | 73 |
CQC ratings
| Overall rating | Clinics | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding | 118 | 2% |
| Good | 2,023 | 38% |
| Requires improvement | 177 | 3% |
| Inadequate | 10 | 0% |
| Not rated | 33 | 1% |
| No rating published | 3,021 | 56% |
Many independent services have no published overall rating. This is often because they are newer and have not yet been assessed. It does not mean a clinic is unregistered. What CQC ratings mean.
Types of service
CQC's primary inspection category for each location:
| CQC inspection category | Clinics |
|---|---|
| Independent consulting doctors | 2,544 |
| Acute hospital - Independent specialist | 1,040 |
| Acute hospital - Independent non-specialist | 661 |
| Community health - NHS & Independent | 461 |
| Mental health - community & hospital - independent | 281 |
| Community substance misuse | 140 |
| Remote clinical advice | 97 |
| Urgent care services & mobile doctors | 95 |
| Out of hours | 33 |
| Slimming Clinics | 30 |
Most common regulated activities
A location can be registered for more than one activity, so these add up to more than 5,382.
| Regulated activity | Clinics | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Treatment of disease, disorder or injury | 4,494 | 84% |
| Diagnostic and screening procedures | 3,578 | 66% |
| Surgical procedures | 1,983 | 37% |
| Family planning | 616 | 11% |
| Services in slimming clinics | 260 | 5% |
| Assessment or medical treatment for persons detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 | 205 | 4% |
| Maternity and midwifery services | 172 | 3% |
| Transport services, triage and medical advice provided remotely | 142 | 3% |
| Termination of pregnancies | 54 | 1% |
| Management of supply of blood and blood derived products | 33 | 1% |
| Personal care | 26 | 0% |
| Accommodation for persons who require nursing or personal care | 17 | 0% |
| Nursing care | 13 | 0% |
| Accommodation for persons who require treatment for substance misuse | 4 | 0% |
Clinics by patient category
| Category | Clinics | Region with the most |
|---|---|---|
| Private hospitals | 797 | London |
| Diagnostics and tests | 741 | London |
| Aesthetics and cosmetic | 459 | London |
| Private GP | 330 | London |
| Weight management | 279 | London |
| Eyes | 219 | South East |
| Online consultations | 215 | London |
| Mental health | 212 | London |
| Mental health hospitals | 209 | North West |
| Drug and alcohol | 170 | London |
| Dermatology and skin | 145 | London |
| Children's health | 139 | London |
| Urgent care | 127 | London |
| Pregnancy scans | 124 | South East |
| Hearing and ENT | 85 | South West |
| Women's health and menopause | 78 | London |
| Sexual health | 62 | London |
| Physio and MSK | 62 | London |
| Abortion services | 54 | London |
| ADHD | 50 | London |
| Tongue-tie and infant feeding | 46 | East of England |
| Fertility | 27 | London |
| Autism | 17 | London |
| Travel health and vaccinations | 16 | London |
| Men's health | 6 | London |
1,662 clinics (31%) don't fit any of our categories yet, based on the information available.