Palmerston Road Surgery, Buckhurst Hill: patient reviews and CQC rating
Palmerston Road Surgery is a GP practice in Buckhurst Hill with 4,539 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 89% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Essex: 74%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in July 2022. It has 1.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 3,404 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Palmerston Road Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 84%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 52%, against 58% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 7 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 4 within it.
On overall experience it is 2nd of the 3 practices in Buckhurst Hill with 50 or more responses. 84% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 3 points lower than in 2025 (92%). 90 patients answered the survey (response rate 29%).
| Survey question | Palmerston Road Surgery | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 89% | 74% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 84% | 50% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 52% | 56% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 74% | 51% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 93% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 89% | 70% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 76% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 94% | 84% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 96% | 83% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 93% | 89% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Palmerston Road Surgery is Good, published in July 2022. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (February 2015).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
4,539 patients were registered at Palmerston Road Surgery 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 1.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 3,404 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Essex's 2,514. The practice also has 1.3 nurses (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| August 2024 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| August 2025 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| August 2026 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 1,228 appointments a month, or 271 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 88% were face to face (England: 63%). 33% took place on the day they were booked and 9% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
70% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Palmerston Road Surgery | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 271 | 480 | 510 |
| Face to face | 88% | 69% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 33% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 9% | 5% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a lower share of patients for a learning disability (0.0% against 0.6%), osteoporosis (0.2% against 1.2%) and epilepsy (0.3% against 0.8%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 7.8 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.8 years for women and 80.1 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 13.0% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 7.0% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 5.5% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 4.6% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.0% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 2.7% | 4.6% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.1% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.3% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 0.9% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.8% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.6% | 1.0% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.3% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.2% | 1.2% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.0% | 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 | 73.8% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 73.9% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 77.4% | 74.9% |
Palmerston Road Surgery, 18 Palmerston Road, Buckhurst Hill, IG9 5LT. Phone: 020 8504 1552. Website: www.palmerstonroadsurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Kings Medical Centre | 0.1 km | 89% |
| The River Surgery | 0.5 km | 89% |
| The Broadway Surgery | 2.2 km | 50% |
| Loughton Health Centre | 2.5 km | 55% |
| Rydal Group Practice | 2.7 km | 84% |
- Chigwell Medical Centre (68% overall experience good)
- Forest Practice (76% overall experience good)
- Kings Medical Centre (89% overall experience good)
- Loughton Health Centre (55% overall experience good)
- The Loughton Surgery (69% overall experience good)
- The River Surgery (89% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Palmerston Road Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 89% of patients described their overall experience of Palmerston Road Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 84% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Palmerston Road Surgery?
4,539 patients were registered in September 2026, down 2.1% on a year earlier.
What is Palmerston Road Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in July 2022.
How many GPs does Palmerston Road Surgery have?
1.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (2 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 3,404 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Palmerston Road Surgery face to face?
88% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Palmerston Road Surgery's phone number?
020 8504 1552.