The Medical Centre, Colchester: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Medical Centre is a GP practice in Colchester with 12,215 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 81% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Essex: 74%). It has 5.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,291 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who said the healthcare professional was good at listening to them: 97%, above the England figure of 87%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 32%, below the England figure of 57%. Of the 11 results in the table, 4 are above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 6 within it.
On overall experience it is 8th of the 22 practices in Colchester with 50 or more responses. 32% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 8 points higher than in 2025 (73%). 118 patients answered the survey (response rate 42%).
| Survey question | The Medical Centre | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 81% | 74% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 32% | 50% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 61% | 56% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 63% | 51% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 86% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 71% | 70% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 69% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 97% | 84% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 96% | 83% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 99% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 98% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 96% of 126 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
12,215 patients were registered at The Medical Centre in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
28% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 5.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,291 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Essex's 2,514. The practice also has 7.4 nurses and 4.8 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 1.9 | 1.9 |
| August 2024 | 4.4 | 4.4 |
| August 2025 | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| August 2026 | 5.3 | 5.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,271 appointments a month, or 431 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 84% were face to face (England: 63%). 22% took place on the day they were booked and 6% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
24% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 7% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Medical Centre | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 431 | 480 | 510 |
| Face to face | 84% | 69% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 22% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 6% | 5% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 7% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for atrial fibrillation (3.2% against 2.2%), high blood pressure (19.5% against 15.2%) and asthma (8.4% against 6.6%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.2% against 1.2%) and depression (11.1% against 14.3%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 13.8 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 85.3 years for women and 81.7 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 19.5% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 11.1% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.7% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.4% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.7% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.6% | 3.8% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.2% | 2.2% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.2% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.1% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.8% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.2% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 81.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 79.6% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 79.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 80.4% | 74.9% |
The Medical Centre, Church Road, Tiptree, Colchester, CO5 0HB. Phone: 01621 816475.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Kelvedon & Feering Health Centre | 4.5 km | 77% |
| Witham Health Centre | 7.5 km | 60% |
| Collingwood Road Surgery | 7.8 km | 47% |
| Dr Wright & Partners | 7.9 km | 68% |
| The Tollesbury Practice | 8.0 km | 76% |
- Bluebell Surgery (77% overall experience good)
- Dr Abiodun Obisesan (76% overall experience good)
- Dr Hazim Ahmad (91% overall experience good)
- Highwoods Surgery (70% overall experience good)
- Mersea Island Medical Practice (91% overall experience good)
- Mill Road Surgery (84% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 81% of patients described their overall experience of The Medical Centre as good, against 77% across England. 32% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Medical Centre?
12,215 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.2% on a year earlier.
How many GPs does The Medical Centre have?
5.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (10 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,291 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Medical Centre face to face?
84% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Medical Centre's phone number?
01621 816475.