Northam Surgery, Bideford: patient reviews and CQC rating
Northam Surgery is a GP practice in Bideford with 13,280 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 88% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Devon: 79%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Outstanding overall, in a report published in June 2016. It has 7.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,840 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Northam Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 89%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 68%, against 69% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 5 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 6 within it.
On overall experience it is 3rd of the 4 practices in Bideford with 50 or more responses. 89% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 5 points lower than in 2025 (93%). 106 patients answered the survey (response rate 40%).
| Survey question | Northam Surgery | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 88% | 79% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 89% | 59% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 77% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 85% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 92% | 87% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 84% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 68% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 92% | 90% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 90% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 93% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 95% of 442 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Northam Surgery is Outstanding, published in June 2016. 2 key questions are rated differently: Safe Good and Effective Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Outstanding |
| Caring | Outstanding |
| Responsive | Outstanding |
| Effective | Good |
13,280 patients were registered at Northam Surgery in September 2026, up 1.3% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
33% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 7.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,840 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Devon's 1,863. The practice also has 2.2 nurses and 3.8 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 7.1 | 11.2 |
| August 2024 | 7.2 | 10.4 |
| August 2025 | 7.2 | 10.4 |
| August 2026 | 7.2 | 10.0 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,735 appointments a month, or 432 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 73% were face to face (England: 63%). 30% took place on the day they were booked and 9% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
65% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Northam Surgery | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 432 | 626 | 510 |
| Face to face | 73% | 54% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 30% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 9% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for chronic kidney disease (10.1% against 4.6%), stroke or TIA (4.1% against 1.9%) and coronary heart disease (5.6% against 3.0%). It has a lower share for depression (10.4% against 14.3%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 20.2 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.6 years for women and 80.9 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 20.9% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 10.4% | 14.3% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 10.1% | 4.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.3% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.8% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.5% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 5.6% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 4.1% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 4.0% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.4% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.8% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.4% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.2% | 1.2% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 77.9% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 71.2% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 75.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 76.3% | 74.9% |
Northam Surgery, Bayview Road, Northam, Bideford, EX39 1AZ. Phone: 01237 474994.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Bideford Medical Centre | 2.3 km | 81% |
| The Wooda Surgery | 2.5 km | 97% |
| Fremington Medical Centre | 7.4 km | 79% |
| Caen Medical Centre | 8.5 km | 73% |
| Torrington Health Centre | 10.9 km | 90% |
- Bideford Medical Centre (81% overall experience good)
- Castle Gardens Surgery (92% overall experience good)
- Hartland Surgery (91% overall experience good)
- The Wooda Surgery (97% overall experience good)
- Torrington Health Centre (90% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Northam Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 88% of patients described their overall experience of Northam Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 89% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Northam Surgery?
13,280 patients were registered in September 2026, up 1.3% on a year earlier.
What is Northam Surgery's CQC rating?
Outstanding overall, published in June 2016.
How many GPs does Northam Surgery have?
7.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (11 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,840 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Northam Surgery face to face?
73% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Northam Surgery's phone number?
01237 474994.