Forest Group Practice, Brandon: patient reviews and CQC rating
Forest Group Practice is a GP practice in Brandon with 7,405 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 86% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Norfolk and Suffolk: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in May 2017. It has 3.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,902 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Forest Group Practice
Its best result against England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 86%, above the England figure of 69%. Its weakest is the share who described their last contact with the practice as good: 71%, against 73% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 3 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 8 within it.
On overall experience it is 1st of the 3 practices in Brandon with 50 or more responses. 56% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 5 points higher than in 2025 (81%). 123 patients answered the survey (response rate 33%).
| Survey question | Forest Group Practice | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 86% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 56% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 57% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 54% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 93% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 71% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 86% | 74% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 92% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 89% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 94% | 92% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Forest Group Practice is Good, published in May 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (September 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
7,405 patients were registered at Forest Group Practice in September 2026, down 1.6% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
28% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,902 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Norfolk and Suffolk's 2,133. The practice also has 2.4 nurses and 1.3 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.9 | 3.9 |
| August 2024 | 3.9 | 3.9 |
| August 2025 | 3.2 | 3.2 |
| August 2026 | 3.9 | 3.9 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 6,672 appointments a month, or 901 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 82% were face to face (England: 63%). 69% took place on the day they were booked and 2% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
26% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 2% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Forest Group Practice | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 901 | 578 | 510 |
| Face to face | 82% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 69% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 2% | 8% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for osteoporosis (4.2% against 1.2%), heart failure (3.2% against 1.1%) and COPD (4.6% against 1.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 23.2 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.1 years for women and 79.6 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 21.9% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 16.8% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 11.8% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 9.4% | 4.6% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.2% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.3% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 5.1% | 3.0% |
| COPD | All ages | 4.6% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 4.2% | 1.2% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.6% | 2.2% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 3.2% | 1.1% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.0% | 1.9% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.5% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 72.1% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 73.9% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 75.1% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 73.6% | 74.9% |
Forest Group Practice, Bury Road, Brandon, IP27 0UB. Phone: 01842 810206.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Brandon Medical Practice | 0.3 km | 85% |
| Feltwell Surgery | 7.7 km | 89% |
| Lakenheath Surgery | 7.8 km | 77% |
| School Lane Surgery | 9.3 km | 72% |
| School Lane PMS Practice | 9.3 km | 80% |
- Brandon Medical Practice (85% overall experience good)
- Lakenheath Surgery (77% overall experience good)
- Market Cross Surgery (81% overall experience good)
- Oakfield Surgery (88% overall experience good)
- Orchard House Surgery Partnership (83% overall experience good)
- Rookery Medical Partnership (94% overall experience good)
- The Reynard Surgery (81% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Forest Group Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 86% of patients described their overall experience of Forest Group Practice as good, above the England figure of 77%. 56% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Forest Group Practice?
7,405 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.6% on a year earlier.
What is Forest Group Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in May 2017.
How many GPs does Forest Group Practice have?
3.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (10 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,902 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Forest Group Practice face to face?
82% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Forest Group Practice's phone number?
01842 810206.