Bideford Medical Centre, Bideford: patient reviews and CQC rating
Bideford Medical Centre is a GP practice in Bideford with 15,165 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 81% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Devon: 79%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in June 2020. It has 9.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,653 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Bideford 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 found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 51%, against 54% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 4 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 7 within it.
On overall experience it is 4th of the 4 practices in Bideford with 50 or more responses. 67% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 1 point higher than in 2025 (80%). 106 patients answered the survey (response rate 37%).
| Survey question | Bideford Medical Centre | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 81% | 79% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 67% | 59% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 66% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 51% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 88% | 87% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 84% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 82% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 94% | 90% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 93% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 97% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 96% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 98% of 400 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Bideford Medical Centre is Good, published in June 2020. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (July 2017).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
15,165 patients were registered at Bideford Medical Centre in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
27% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 9.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,653 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Devon's 1,863. The practice also has 4.5 nurses and 5.0 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 10.6 | 12.8 |
| August 2024 | 11.2 | 13.9 |
| August 2025 | 9.6 | 12.8 |
| August 2026 | 9.2 | 11.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 7,472 appointments a month, or 493 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 67% were face to face (England: 63%). 28% took place on the day they were booked and 8% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
42% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Bideford Medical Centre | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 493 | 626 | 510 |
| Face to face | 67% | 54% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 28% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 8% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for stroke or TIA (3.3% against 1.9%), coronary heart disease (5.0% against 3.0%) and atrial fibrillation (3.2% against 2.2%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.4% against 1.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 23.7 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.3 years for women and 80.5 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 15.6% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.2% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.6% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.6% | 7.9% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 5.0% | 3.0% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.4% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.2% | 3.8% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.3% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.2% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.4% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 76.8% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 70.4% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 77.0% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 77.9% | 74.9% |
Bideford Medical Centre, Abbotsham Road, Bideford, EX39 3AF. Phone: 01237 476363. Website: www.bidefordmc.com.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Wooda Surgery | 0.8 km | 97% |
| Northam Surgery | 2.3 km | 88% |
| Fremington Medical Centre | 8.6 km | 79% |
| Torrington Health Centre | 8.8 km | 90% |
| Castle Gardens Surgery | 8.9 km | 92% |
- Castle Gardens Surgery (92% overall experience good)
- Hartland Surgery (91% overall experience good)
- Northam Surgery (88% overall experience good)
- The Wooda Surgery (97% overall experience good)
- Torrington Health Centre (90% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Bideford Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 81% of patients described their overall experience of Bideford Medical Centre as good, against 77% across England. 67% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Bideford Medical Centre?
15,165 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.2% on a year earlier.
What is Bideford Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in June 2020.
How many GPs does Bideford Medical Centre have?
9.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (12 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,653 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Bideford Medical Centre face to face?
67% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Bideford Medical Centre's phone number?
01237 476363.