The Swan Practice, Buckingham: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Swan Practice is a GP practice in Buckingham with 30,871 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 60% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77% (Thames Valley: 76%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in January 2020. It has 12.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,541 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Swan Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 60%, against 58% across England. Its weakest is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 37%, below the England figure of 69%. Of the 11 results in the table, 0 are above England and 7 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 4 within it.
36% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 10 points lower than in 2025 (70%). 156 patients answered the survey (response rate 32%).
| Survey question | The Swan Practice | Thames Valley | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 60% | 76% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 36% | 56% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 60% | 57% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 36% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 72% | 84% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 52% | 72% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 37% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 82% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 81% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 90% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 81% | 90% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 87% of 862 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for The Swan Practice is Good, published in January 2020. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (November 2015).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
30,871 patients were registered at The Swan Practice in September 2026, down 1.5% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
21% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 12.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,541 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Thames Valley's 2,121. The practice also has 5.5 nurses and 21.0 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 11.1 | 17.5 |
| August 2024 | 11.5 | 15.8 |
| August 2025 | 11.3 | 17.7 |
| August 2026 | 12.2 | 20.0 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 13,907 appointments a month, or 450 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 49% were face to face (England: 63%). 30% took place on the day they were booked and 19% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
57% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Swan Practice | Thames Valley | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 450 | 451 | 510 |
| Face to face | 49% | 60% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 30% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 19% | 4% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for atrial fibrillation (2.8% against 2.2%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.8% against 1.2%), COPD (1.3% against 1.9%) and peripheral arterial disease (0.4% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 11.9 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.6 years for women and 82.1 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 16.3% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 15.6% | 15.2% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.5% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 5.9% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.2% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.5% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.0% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.8% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.5% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.3% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.8% | 1.2% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 77.7% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 81.5% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 71.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 77.2% | 74.9% |
The Swan Practice, North End Surgery, High Street, Buckingham, MK18 1NU. Phone: 01280 818600. Website: www.theswanpractice.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Stonedean Practice | 10.9 km | 87% |
| Watling Street Practice | 10.9 km | 74% |
| Brackley Medical Centre | 11.3 km | 82% |
| Whitehouse Surgery | 12.0 km | 44% |
| Springfield Surgery | 12.2 km | 88% |
How do patients rate The Swan Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 60% of patients described their overall experience of The Swan Practice as good, below the England figure of 77%. 36% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Swan Practice?
30,871 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.5% on a year earlier.
What is The Swan Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in January 2020.
How many GPs does The Swan Practice have?
12.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (20 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,541 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Swan Practice face to face?
49% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Swan Practice's phone number?
01280 818600.