The Wooda Surgery, Bideford: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Wooda Surgery is a GP practice in Bideford with 9,926 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 97% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Devon: 79%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in November 2019. It has 6.5 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,538 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Wooda Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 81%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 52%, against 54% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 9 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 2 within it.
On overall experience it is 1st of the 4 practices in Bideford with 50 or more responses. 81% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 6 points higher than in 2025 (91%). 113 patients answered the survey (response rate 37%).
| Survey question | The Wooda Surgery | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 97% | 79% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 81% | 59% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 69% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 52% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 98% | 87% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 84% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 80% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 96% | 90% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 96% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 99% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 100% | 91% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for The Wooda Surgery is Good, published in November 2019. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (October 2017).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
9,926 patients were registered at The Wooda Surgery in September 2026, up 1.5% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
27% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 6.5 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,538 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Devon's 1,863. The practice also has 3.4 nurses and 2.2 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 6.9 | 9.9 |
| August 2024 | 6.3 | 8.0 |
| August 2025 | 6.3 | 9.2 |
| August 2026 | 6.5 | 9.4 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,217 appointments a month, or 526 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 66% were face to face (England: 63%). 39% took place on the day they were booked and 3% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
29% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Wooda Surgery | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 526 | 626 | 510 |
| Face to face | 66% | 54% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 39% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 3% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for peripheral arterial disease (1.0% against 0.6%), coronary heart disease (5.0% against 3.0%) and chronic kidney disease (7.5% against 4.6%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.2% against 1.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 25.2 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.1 years for women and 80.3 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 17.0% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 12.1% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.3% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.2% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.5% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 5.0% | 3.0% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.2% | 3.8% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.2% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.9% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.4% | 1.0% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.2% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 75.4% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 71.0% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 77.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 78.4% | 74.9% |
The Wooda Surgery, Clarence Wharf, Barnstaple Street, Bideford, EX39 4AU. Phone: 01237 471071. Website: www.woodasurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Bideford Medical Centre | 0.8 km | 81% |
| Northam Surgery | 2.5 km | 88% |
| Fremington Medical Centre | 8.0 km | 79% |
| Torrington Health Centre | 8.5 km | 90% |
| Castle Gardens Surgery | 8.5 km | 92% |
- Bideford Medical Centre (81% overall experience good)
- Castle Gardens Surgery (92% overall experience good)
- Hartland Surgery (91% overall experience good)
- Northam Surgery (88% overall experience good)
- Torrington Health Centre (90% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Wooda Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 97% of patients described their overall experience of The Wooda Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 81% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Wooda Surgery?
9,926 patients were registered in September 2026, up 1.5% on a year earlier.
What is The Wooda Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in November 2019.
How many GPs does The Wooda Surgery have?
6.5 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (9 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,538 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Wooda Surgery face to face?
66% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Wooda Surgery's phone number?
01237 471071.