St James Surgery, Clacton On Sea: patient reviews and CQC rating
St James Surgery is a GP practice in Clacton On Sea with 16,043 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 96% 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 November 2016. It has 7.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,026 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about St James Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 83%, above the England figure of 58%. Its result closest to England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 64%, against 57% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 10 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 1 within it.
On overall experience it is 1st of the 6 practices in Clacton On Sea with 50 or more responses. 64% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 13 points higher than in 2025 (83%). 105 patients answered the survey (response rate 31%).
| Survey question | St James Surgery | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 96% | 74% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 64% | 50% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 83% | 56% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 76% | 51% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 96% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 91% | 70% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 91% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 97% | 84% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 98% | 83% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 99% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 97% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 96% of 858 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for St James Surgery is Good, published in November 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
16,043 patients were registered at St James Surgery in September 2026, up 3.9% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
32% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 7.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,026 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Essex's 2,514. The practice also has 7.7 nurses and 3.3 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 6.3 | 8.5 |
| August 2024 | 6.4 | 8.5 |
| August 2025 | 7.2 | 10.2 |
| August 2026 | 7.9 | 11.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 8,016 appointments a month, or 500 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 79% were face to face (England: 63%). 36% took place on the day they were booked and 5% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
37% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 6% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | St James Surgery | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 500 | 480 | 510 |
| Face to face | 79% | 69% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 36% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 5% | 5% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 6% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for palliative or supportive care needs (2.0% against 0.6%), peripheral arterial disease (1.4% against 0.6%) and dementia (1.6% against 0.8%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.5% against 1.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 41.5 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 80.7 years for women and 75.9 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 25.8% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 20.9% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 11.7% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.9% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.4% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.7% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.8% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 4.5% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.1% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 3.1% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 2.0% | 1.1% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 2.0% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.6% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.4% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.3% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.2% | 1.0% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.5% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 72.9% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 71.5% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 78.4% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 81.8% | 74.9% |
St James Surgery, 89 Wash Lane, Clacton On Sea, CO15 1DA. Phone: 01255 222121. Website: www.stjamesandstosythsurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Ranworth Surgery | 0.5 km | 73% |
| East Lynne Medical Centre | 0.5 km | 86% |
| Old Road Medical Practice | 0.9 km | 57% |
| Clacton Community Practices | 2.2 km | 77% |
| Crusader Surgery | 3.6 km | 60% |
- Caradoc Surgery (84% overall experience good)
- Clacton Community Practices (77% overall experience good)
- Colne Medical Centre (86% overall experience good)
- Great Bentley Surgery (88% overall experience good)
- Ranworth Surgery (73% overall experience good)
- Walton Medical Centre (71% overall experience good)
How do patients rate St James Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 96% of patients described their overall experience of St James Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 64% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at St James Surgery?
16,043 patients were registered in September 2026, up 3.9% on a year earlier.
What is St James Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in November 2016.
How many GPs does St James Surgery have?
7.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (8 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,026 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at St James Surgery face to face?
79% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is St James Surgery's phone number?
01255 222121.