Blandford Medical Centre, Braintree: patient reviews and CQC rating
Blandford Medical Centre is a GP practice in Braintree with 17,148 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 69% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Essex: 74%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in July 2017. It has 5.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 3,168 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Blandford Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 67%, above the England figure of 54%. Its weakest is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 49%, below the England figure of 69%. Of the 11 results in the table, 1 is above England and 7 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 3 within it.
On overall experience it is 3rd of the 5 practices in Braintree with 50 or more responses. 39% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 17 points higher than in 2025 (52%). 106 patients answered the survey (response rate 29%).
| Survey question | Blandford Medical Centre | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 69% | 74% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 39% | 50% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 63% | 56% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 67% | 51% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 75% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 65% | 70% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 49% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 70% | 84% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 67% | 83% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 83% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 80% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 77% of 70 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Blandford Medical Centre is Good, published in July 2017. One key question is rated differently: Responsive Requires Improvement. Its previous overall rating was Requires Improvement (December 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Requires Improvement |
| Effective | Good |
17,148 patients were registered at Blandford Medical Centre in September 2026, down 2.1% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
22% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 5.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 3,168 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Essex's 2,514. The practice also has 3.6 nurses and 4.5 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 6.0 | 11.3 |
| August 2024 | 5.8 | 9.9 |
| August 2025 | 4.7 | 6.5 |
| August 2026 | 5.4 | 9.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 7,108 appointments a month, or 415 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 57% were face to face (England: 63%). 41% took place on the day they were booked and 8% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
39% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 2% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Blandford Medical Centre | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 415 | 480 | 510 |
| Face to face | 57% | 69% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 41% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 8% | 5% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for epilepsy (1.1% against 0.8%), dementia (1.0% against 0.8%) and diabetes (9.8% against 7.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 17.1 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 82.6 years for women and 79.3 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 15.3% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 13.7% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.8% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.9% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.4% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.0% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.9% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.4% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.0% | 1.2% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 74.4% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 66.5% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 72.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 74.2% | 74.9% |
Blandford Medical Centre, Mace Avenue, Braintree, CM7 2AE. Phone: 01376 347100. Website: www.blandfordmedicalcentre.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Mount Chambers Medical Practice | 0.9 km | 64% |
| Blyth's Meadow Surgery | 1.3 km | 87% |
| Church Lane Surgery | 1.8 km | 58% |
| Silver End Surgery | 6.7 km | 42% |
| The Elizabeth Courtauld Partnership | 9.6 km | 79% |
- Blyth's Meadow Surgery (87% overall experience good)
- Mount Chambers Medical Practice (64% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Blandford Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 69% of patients described their overall experience of Blandford Medical Centre as good, against 77% across England. 39% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Blandford Medical Centre?
17,148 patients were registered in September 2026, down 2.1% on a year earlier.
What is Blandford Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in July 2017.
How many GPs does Blandford Medical Centre have?
5.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 3,168 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Blandford Medical Centre face to face?
57% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Blandford Medical Centre's phone number?
01376 347100.