Putnoe Medical Centre, Bedford: patient reviews and CQC rating
Putnoe Medical Centre is a GP practice in Bedford with 17,986 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 76% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Central East: 75%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in March 2017. It has 10.5 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,713 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Putnoe Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 82%, above the England figure of 69%. Its weakest is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 85%, below the England figure of 93%. Of the 11 results in the table, 3 are above England and 2 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 6 within it.
On overall experience it is 10th of the 17 practices in Bedford with 50 or more responses. 69% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 12 points lower than in 2025 (88%). 112 patients answered the survey (response rate 26%).
| Survey question | Putnoe Medical Centre | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 76% | 75% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 69% | 52% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 68% | 60% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 59% | 52% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 94% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 76% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 82% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 85% | 86% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 82% | 85% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 85% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 84% | 89% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Putnoe Medical Centre is Good, published in March 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
17,986 patients were registered at Putnoe Medical Centre in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
19% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 10.5 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,713 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. The practice also has 5.7 nurses and 5.1 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 8.2 | 16.2 |
| August 2024 | 9.5 | 11.4 |
| August 2025 | 10.8 | 14.4 |
| August 2026 | 10.5 | 14.8 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 9,237 appointments a month, or 514 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 42% were face to face (England: 63%). 39% took place on the day they were booked and 2% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
57% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 2% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Putnoe Medical Centre | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 514 | 521 | 510 |
| Face to face | 42% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 39% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 2% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for dementia (1.0% against 0.8%), diabetes (9.8% against 7.9%) and asthma (8.0% against 6.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 17.5 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.9 years for women and 78.8 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 15.7% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 13.0% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.8% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.0% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.5% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.9% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.9% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.1% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.5% | 1.9% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.1% | 1.2% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.9% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 71.4% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 70.9% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 64.5% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 68.8% | 74.9% |
Putnoe Medical Centre, 93 Queens Drive, Bedford, MK41 9JE. Phone: 01234 319992.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Goldington Avenue Surgery | 1.3 km | 71% |
| De Parys Medical Centre | 1.6 km | 68% |
| London Road Surgery | 2.8 km | 76% |
| Linden Road Surgery | 2.8 km | 87% |
| Ashburnham Road Surgery | 3.0 km | 82% |
- Linden Road Surgery (87% overall experience good)
- London Road Surgery (76% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Putnoe Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 76% of patients described their overall experience of Putnoe Medical Centre as good, against 77% across England. 69% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Putnoe Medical Centre?
17,986 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.2% on a year earlier.
What is Putnoe Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in March 2017.
How many GPs does Putnoe Medical Centre have?
10.5 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (15 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,713 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Putnoe Medical Centre face to face?
42% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Putnoe Medical Centre's phone number?
01234 319992.