The Guildhall and Barrow Surgery, Bury St Edmunds: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Guildhall and Barrow Surgery is a GP practice in Bury St Edmunds with 13,772 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 February 2019. It has 9.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,535 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Guildhall and Barrow Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 68%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 39%, below the England figure of 58%. Of the 11 results in the table, 5 are above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 5 within it.
On overall experience it is 3rd of the 10 practices in Bury St Edmunds with 50 or more responses. 68% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 7 points higher than in 2025 (79%). 129 patients answered the survey (response rate 42%).
| Survey question | The Guildhall and Barrow Surgery | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 86% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 68% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 39% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 59% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 85% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 77% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 66% | 74% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 97% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 96% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 97% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 96% | 92% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for The Guildhall and Barrow Surgery is Good, published in February 2019. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (March 2015).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
13,772 patients were registered at The Guildhall and Barrow Surgery in September 2026, up 1.1% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
27% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 9.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,535 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Norfolk and Suffolk's 2,133. The practice also has 1.8 nurses and 1.7 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 8.8 | 11.3 |
| August 2024 | 7.8 | 11.0 |
| August 2025 | 9.4 | 13.0 |
| August 2026 | 9.0 | 12.0 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,659 appointments a month, or 411 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 79% were face to face (England: 63%). 35% took place on the day they were booked and 15% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
54% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Guildhall and Barrow Surgery | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 411 | 578 | 510 |
| Face to face | 79% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 35% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 15% | 8% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for osteoporosis (3.1% against 1.2%), heart failure (1.8% against 1.1%) and dementia (1.2% against 0.8%). It has a lower share for palliative or supportive care needs (0.3% against 0.6%) and depression (10.1% against 14.3%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 14.5 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.9 years for women and 80.7 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 19.0% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 10.1% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.7% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.4% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.3% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.1% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.7% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.4% | 2.2% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 3.1% | 1.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.4% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.4% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.8% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 79.3% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 80.7% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 71.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 79.4% | 74.9% |
The Guildhall and Barrow Surgery, Lower Baxter Street, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 1ET. Phone: 01284 701601.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Angel Hill Surgery | 0.1 km | 70% |
| Swan Surgery | 0.4 km | 79% |
| Victoria Surgery | 0.8 km | 92% |
| Mount Farm Surgery | 1.9 km | 71% |
| Ixworth Surgery | 10.2 km | 91% |
- Angel Hill Surgery (70% overall experience good)
- Mount Farm Surgery (71% overall experience good)
- Swan Surgery (79% overall experience good)
- Victoria Surgery (92% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Guildhall and Barrow Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 86% of patients described their overall experience of The Guildhall and Barrow Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 68% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Guildhall and Barrow Surgery?
13,772 patients were registered in September 2026, up 1.1% on a year earlier.
What is The Guildhall and Barrow Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in February 2019.
How many GPs does The Guildhall and Barrow Surgery have?
9.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (12 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,535 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Guildhall and Barrow Surgery face to face?
79% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Guildhall and Barrow Surgery's phone number?
01284 701601.