The Writtle Surgery, Chelmsford: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Writtle Surgery is a GP practice in Chelmsford with 7,980 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 66% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77% (Essex: 74%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in May 2017. It has 5.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,412 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Writtle Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who said the healthcare professional was good at listening to them: 88%, against 87% across England. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 17%, below the England figure of 58%. 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.
On overall experience it is 12th of the 15 practices in Chelmsford with 50 or more responses. 31% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 7 points lower than in 2025 (73%). 106 patients answered the survey (response rate 31%).
| Survey question | The Writtle Surgery | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 66% | 74% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 31% | 50% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 17% | 56% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 33% | 51% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 85% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 59% | 70% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 50% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 88% | 84% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 81% | 83% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 86% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 91% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 92% of 95 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for The Writtle Surgery is Good, published in May 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (February 2017).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
7,980 patients were registered at The Writtle Surgery in September 2026, down 1.4% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
26% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 5.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,412 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Essex's 2,514. The practice also has 2.4 nurses and 3.0 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 6.9 | 6.9 |
| August 2024 | 5.3 | 5.3 |
| August 2025 | 5.7 | 5.7 |
| August 2026 | 5.7 | 5.7 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,932 appointments a month, or 367 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 92% were face to face (England: 63%). 33% took place on the day they were booked and 15% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
39% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 5% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Writtle Surgery | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 367 | 480 | 510 |
| Face to face | 92% | 69% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 33% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 15% | 5% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for atrial fibrillation (3.5% against 2.2%), cancer (5.0% against 3.8%) and chronic kidney disease (6.1% against 4.6%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.2% against 1.2%), palliative or supportive care needs (0.2% against 0.6%) and a learning disability (0.3% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 14.6 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 85.7 years for women and 81.4 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 18.0% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 8.9% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.3% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.2% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.1% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.0% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.8% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.5% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.4% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.8% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.2% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 76.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 82.8% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 79.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 83.6% | 74.9% |
The Writtle Surgery, 16a Lordship Road, Writtle, Chelmsford, CM1 3EH. Phone: 01245 421205.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Whitley House | 2.1 km | 90% |
| Tennyson House Surgery | 2.9 km | 75% |
| Rivermead Gate Medical Centre | 3.3 km | 68% |
| Beauchamp House Surgery | 3.5 km | 77% |
| Sutherland Lodge Surgery | 3.9 km | 49% |
- Tennyson House Surgery (75% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Writtle Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 66% of patients described their overall experience of The Writtle Surgery as good, below the England figure of 77%. 31% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Writtle Surgery?
7,980 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.4% on a year earlier.
What is The Writtle Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in May 2017.
How many GPs does The Writtle Surgery have?
5.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (5 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,412 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Writtle Surgery face to face?
92% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Writtle Surgery's phone number?
01245 421205.