The Vale Medical Practice - Wootton, Bedford: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Vale Medical Practice - Wootton is a GP practice in Bedford with 19,188 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 82% 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 November 2016. It has 4.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 4,004 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Vale Medical Practice - Wootton
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 72%, above the England figure of 58%. Its weakest is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 91%, against 93% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 1 is above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 10 within it.
On overall experience it is 6th of the 17 practices in Bedford with 50 or more responses. 65% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is unchanged from 2025 (82%). 98 patients answered the survey (response rate 24%).
| Survey question | The Vale Medical Practice - Wootton | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 82% | 75% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 65% | 52% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 72% | 60% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 53% | 52% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 85% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 81% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 76% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 85% | 86% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 86% | 85% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 91% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 90% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 96% of 930 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for The Vale Medical Practice - Wootton is Good, published in November 2016. One key question is rated differently: Responsive Outstanding.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Outstanding |
| Effective | Good |
19,188 patients were registered at The Vale Medical Practice - Wootton in September 2026, up 7.2% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
10% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 4.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 4,004 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. The practice also has 1.8 nurses and 10.3 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| August 2024 | 2.7 | 4.8 |
| August 2025 | 3.9 | 9.0 |
| August 2026 | 4.8 | 10.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 17,929 appointments a month, or 934 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 29% were face to face (England: 63%). 67% took place on the day they were booked and 1% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
21% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 2% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Vale Medical Practice - Wootton | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 934 | 521 | 510 |
| Face to face | 29% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 67% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 1% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a lower share of patients for osteoporosis (0.3% against 1.2%), peripheral arterial disease (0.2% against 0.6%) and heart failure (0.5% against 1.1%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 14.4 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.5 years for women and 80.1 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.8% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 10.9% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.8% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.7% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.4% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 2.6% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 1.6% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.2% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.1% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.1% | 1.9% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.6% | 1.0% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.5% | 1.1% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.3% | 1.2% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 76.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 75.3% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 77.9% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 80.9% | 74.9% |
The Vale Medical Practice - Wootton, Fields Road, Wootton, Bedford, MK43 9JJ. Phone: 01234 762500. Website: www.woottonvale.com.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| King Street Surgery | 3.6 km | 75% |
| Marston Forest Healthcare | 3.6 km | 65% |
| Queens Park Health Centre | 5.0 km | 64% |
| Ashburnham Road Surgery | 5.8 km | 82% |
| London Road Surgery | 5.9 km | 76% |
- Ashburnham Road Surgery (82% overall experience good)
- King Street Surgery (75% overall experience good)
- Queens Park Health Centre (64% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Vale Medical Practice - Wootton?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 82% of patients described their overall experience of The Vale Medical Practice - Wootton as good, against 77% across England. 65% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Vale Medical Practice - Wootton?
19,188 patients were registered in September 2026, up 7.2% on a year earlier.
What is The Vale Medical Practice - Wootton's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in November 2016.
How many GPs does The Vale Medical Practice - Wootton have?
4.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 4,004 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Vale Medical Practice - Wootton face to face?
29% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Vale Medical Practice - Wootton's phone number?
01234 762500.