Howell Surgery, Brenchley: patient reviews and CQC rating
Howell Surgery is a GP practice in Brenchley with 5,400 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 94% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Kent and Medway: 73%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in December 2018. It has 2.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,653 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Howell Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 95%, above the England figure of 54%. Its result closest to England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 75%, against 69% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 10 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 1 within it.
92% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points higher than in 2025 (92%). 102 patients answered the survey (response rate 31%).
| Survey question | Howell Surgery | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 94% | 73% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 92% | 48% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 76% | 52% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 95% | 50% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 94% | 82% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 96% | 67% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 75% | 65% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 96% | 85% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 96% | 84% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 99% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 99% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 97% of 100 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Howell Surgery is Good, published in December 2018. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (October 2015).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
5,400 patients were registered at Howell Surgery in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
24% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,653 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Kent and Medway's 2,419. The practice also has 0.8 nurses and 0.7 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 1.9 | 1.9 |
| August 2024 | 2.4 | 2.4 |
| August 2025 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| August 2026 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,269 appointments a month, or 420 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 80% were face to face (England: 63%). 35% took place on the day they were booked and 5% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
41% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Howell Surgery | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 420 | 457 | 510 |
| Face to face | 80% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 35% | 41% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 5% | 7% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for chronic kidney disease (6.5% against 4.6%), atrial fibrillation (3.1% against 2.2%) and cancer (5.2% against 3.8%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.3% against 1.2%), a learning disability (0.2% against 0.6%) and palliative or supportive care needs (0.2% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 15.7 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 85.0 years for women and 82.8 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 16.7% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 12.1% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.8% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.5% | 4.6% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.2% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.2% | 3.8% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.1% | 2.2% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.8% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.2% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.4% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.4% | 1.0% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.3% | 1.2% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 76.2% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 80.3% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 76.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 79.8% | 74.9% |
97% of the practice's patients live in the TN12 postcode district. 99% live in Tunbridge Wells, the council area the practice is in.
| Postcode district | Registered patients | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TN12 | 5,201 | 97% |
Howell Surgery, High Street, Brenchley, TN12 7NQ. Phone: 01892 722007. Website: www.brenchleyandhorsmondengps.nhs.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Woodlands Health Centre | 3.5 km | 70% |
| Waterfield House Practice | 4.9 km | 77% |
| Old Parsonage Surgery | 6.0 km | 97% |
| Lamberhurst Surgery | 6.3 km | 94% |
| Marden Medical Centre | 7.0 km | 94% |
- Lamberhurst Surgery (94% overall experience good)
- Marden Medical Centre (94% overall experience good)
- Old Parsonage Surgery (97% overall experience good)
- Old School Surgery (69% overall experience good)
- Orchard End Surgery (97% overall experience good)
- Weald View Medical Practice - Hawkhurst (79% overall experience good)
- Yalding Surgery (75% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Howell Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 94% of patients described their overall experience of Howell Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 92% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Howell Surgery?
5,400 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.2% on a year earlier.
What is Howell Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in December 2018.
How many GPs does Howell Surgery have?
2.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (4 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,653 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Howell Surgery face to face?
80% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Howell Surgery's phone number?
01892 722007.