Ashwell Surgery, Baldock: patient reviews and CQC rating
Ashwell Surgery is a GP practice in Baldock with 8,016 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 59% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77% (Central East: 75%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in April 2017. It has 3.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,252 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Ashwell Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who said their needs were met at their last appointment: 92%, against 90% across England. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 36%, below the England figure of 57%. Of the 11 results in the table, 0 are above England and 5 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 6 within it.
36% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 8 points lower than in 2025 (67%). 113 patients answered the survey (response rate 41%).
| Survey question | Ashwell Surgery | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 59% | 75% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 36% | 52% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 49% | 60% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 47% | 52% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 74% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 57% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 52% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 87% | 86% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 87% | 85% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 91% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 92% | 89% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Ashwell Surgery is Good, published in April 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (June 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
8,016 patients were registered at Ashwell Surgery in September 2026, down 1.6% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
25% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,252 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. The practice also has 0.6 nurses and 2.7 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.7 | 5.9 |
| August 2024 | 3.7 | 5.4 |
| August 2025 | 3.7 | 4.4 |
| August 2026 | 3.6 | 5.2 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,285 appointments a month, or 659 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 80% were face to face (England: 63%). 51% took place on the day they were booked and 6% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
81% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 1% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Ashwell Surgery | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 659 | 521 | 510 |
| Face to face | 80% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 51% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 6% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 1% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for atrial fibrillation (2.8% against 2.2%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.2% against 1.2%), serious mental illness (0.6% against 1.0%) and heart failure (0.7% against 1.1%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 13.2 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 86.9 years for women and 83.0 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.8% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 10.7% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.1% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.1% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.7% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.3% | 3.8% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.8% | 2.2% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.5% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.8% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.4% | 1.9% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.7% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.6% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.2% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 78.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 75.9% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 76.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 76.5% | 74.9% |
Ashwell Surgery, Lawyers Close,, Gardiners Lane, Ashwell,, Baldock, SG7 5PY. Phone: 01462 417377. Website: www.ashwellsurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Larksfield Surgery Medical Partnership | 6.1 km | 67% |
| The Baldock Surgery | 6.6 km | 73% |
| Birchwood Surgery | 8.2 km | 58% |
| The Garden City Surgery | 8.4 km | 51% |
| The Nevells Road Surgery | 8.5 km | 66% |
- Birchwood Surgery (58% overall experience good)
- The Baldock Surgery (73% overall experience good)
- The Garden City Surgery (51% overall experience good)
- The Nevells Road Surgery (66% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Ashwell Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 59% of patients described their overall experience of Ashwell Surgery as good, below the England figure of 77%. 36% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Ashwell Surgery?
8,016 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.6% on a year earlier.
What is Ashwell Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in April 2017.
How many GPs does Ashwell Surgery have?
3.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (4 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,252 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Ashwell Surgery face to face?
80% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Ashwell Surgery's phone number?
01462 417377.