Water Meadow Surgery, Chesham: patient reviews and CQC rating
Water Meadow Surgery is a GP practice in Chesham with 13,451 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 79% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Thames Valley: 76%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in June 2016. It has 6.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,093 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Water Meadow Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 69%, above the England figure of 58%. Its result closest to England is the share who described their overall experience of the practice as good: 79%, against 77% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 4 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 7 within it.
On overall experience it is 2nd of the 3 practices in Chesham with 50 or more responses. 60% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is unchanged from 2025 (79%). 106 patients answered the survey (response rate 35%).
| Survey question | Water Meadow Surgery | Thames Valley | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 79% | 76% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 60% | 56% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 69% | 57% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 58% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 95% | 84% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 79% | 72% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 75% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 95% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 94% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 97% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 95% | 90% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 93% of 502 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Water Meadow Surgery is Good, published in June 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
13,451 patients were registered at Water Meadow Surgery in September 2026, down 0.9% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
20% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 6.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,093 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Thames Valley's 2,121. The practice also has 0.9 nurses and 1.3 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 7.2 | 8.2 |
| August 2024 | 6.2 | 6.9 |
| August 2025 | 7.1 | 8.3 |
| August 2026 | 6.4 | 7.5 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 7,995 appointments a month, or 594 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 49% were face to face (England: 63%). 57% took place on the day they were booked and 2% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
48% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 2% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Water Meadow Surgery | Thames Valley | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 594 | 451 | 510 |
| Face to face | 49% | 60% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 57% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 2% | 4% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 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 chronic kidney disease (2.4% against 4.6%), palliative or supportive care needs (0.3% against 0.6%) and depression (7.7% against 14.3%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 13.5 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.7 years for women and 81.8 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 15.3% | 15.2% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.8% | 6.6% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 7.7% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.8% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.4% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.1% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.8% | 2.2% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 2.4% | 4.6% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.8% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.5% | 1.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.3% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 77.4% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 75.2% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 70.7% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 75.2% | 74.9% |
Water Meadow Surgery, Red Lion Street, Chesham, HP5 1ET. Phone: 01494 782241. Website: www.watermeadowsurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The New Surgery | 1.2 km | 90% |
| Gladstone Surgery | 1.2 km | 67% |
| Dr Gabe & Partners | 3.1 km | 78% |
| Rectory Meadow Surgery | 3.7 km | 86% |
| Dr Bajwa and Partners | 5.0 km | 77% |
- Dr Bajwa and Partners (77% overall experience good)
- Gladstone Surgery (67% overall experience good)
- The New Surgery (90% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Water Meadow Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 79% of patients described their overall experience of Water Meadow Surgery as good, against 77% across England. 60% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Water Meadow Surgery?
13,451 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.9% on a year earlier.
What is Water Meadow Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in June 2016.
How many GPs does Water Meadow Surgery have?
6.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (10 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,093 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Water Meadow Surgery face to face?
49% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Water Meadow Surgery's phone number?
01494 782241.