GP practices in the Watford council area: access and ratings
There are 5 GP practices in the Watford council area, with 85,106 registered patients between them (September 2026). 121,201 people living in Watford were registered with a GP in July 2026, 63% of them at a practice inside the council area. Practices in Watford have 2,485 patients per qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 5 practices in Watford with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 68% at Suthergrey House Medical Centre to 91% at Bridgewater Surgeries, with a median of 78% (England: 77%). 1 is above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error. The Elms Surgery has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (86%, England 57%).
| Practice | Residents registered (July 2026) | Registered patients (September 2026) | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgewater Surgeries | 31,479 | 36,819 | 91% | 65% | Good | 2,476 |
| The Elms Surgery | 8,209 | 8,673 | 83% | 86% | Requires improvement | 4,879 |
| Garston Medical Centre | 11,274 | 13,276 | 78% | 64% | Good | 2,874 |
| Upton Road Surgery | 17,407 | 17,979 | 71% | 44% | Good | 2,447 |
| Suthergrey House Medical Centre | 7,984 | 8,359 | 68% | 45% | Good | 1,482 |
There are 2,485 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Watford, more than England's 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. Practices recorded 536 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 58% of them face to face. 53% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
12% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 1.1% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Watford | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 2,485 | 2,348 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 536 | 521 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 58% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 53% | 48% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 4% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 12% | 17% | 19% |
63% of Watford's registered residents are with a practice in the council area. The practices outside it with the most Watford residents are Manor View Practice (18,231), Attenborough Surgery (14,852) and Sheepcot Medical Centre (5,779).
| Practice outside the council area | Residents of Watford registered | Town |
|---|---|---|
| Manor View Practice | 18,231 | Bushey |
| Attenborough Surgery | 14,852 | Bushey |
| Sheepcot Medical Centre | 5,779 | Watford |
| Abbotswood Medical Centre | 2,117 | Abbots Langley |
| Hazeldene Medical Centre | 426 | Wembley |
| The Vine House Health Centre | 395 | Abbots Langley |
| New Road Surgery | 373 | Rickmansworth |
| The Consulting Rooms | 244 | Watford |
| GP at hand | 191 | London |
| South Oxhey Surgery | 188 | Watford |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Watford is diabetes (8.0% against 7.9%), and the furthest below is osteoporosis (0.6% against 1.2%).
| Condition register | Age group | Watford (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 12.6% | 15.2% | 10,866 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 10.5% | 14.3% | 7,081 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.0% | 7.9% | 5,482 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 5.2% | 6.6% | 4,193 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 2.8% | 4.6% | 1,921 |
| Cancer | All ages | 2.6% | 3.8% | 2,214 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.3% | 3.0% | 1,961 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.4% | 2.2% | 1,229 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.3% | 1.9% | 1,077 |
| COPD | All ages | 1.1% | 1.9% | 941 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.0% | 1.0% | 896 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 530 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.7% | 1.1% | 588 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.6% | 0.8% | 537 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.6% | 1.2% | 150 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% | 405 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% | 490 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% | 368 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% | 285 |
- Bedford (2,471 patients per GP)
- Broxbourne (2,158 patients per GP)
- Cambridge (2,192 patients per GP)
- Central Bedfordshire (2,504 patients per GP)
- Dacorum (2,572 patients per GP)
- East Cambridgeshire (1,891 patients per GP)
- East Hertfordshire (2,531 patients per GP)
- Fenland (2,879 patients per GP)
- Hertsmere (2,121 patients per GP)
- Huntingdonshire (2,069 patients per GP)
- Luton (2,749 patients per GP)
- Milton Keynes (2,545 patients per GP)
- North Hertfordshire (2,110 patients per GP)
- North Northamptonshire (2,369 patients per GP)
- Peterborough (2,472 patients per GP)
- South Cambridgeshire (1,807 patients per GP)
- St Albans (2,076 patients per GP)
- Stevenage (3,000 patients per GP)
- Three Rivers (2,463 patients per GP)
- Welwyn Hatfield (2,199 patients per GP)
How many GP practices are there in Watford?
5 practices are located in the Watford council area, with 85,106 registered patients in September 2026.
Where are Watford residents registered with a GP?
63% of the 121,201 registered residents are with a practice inside the council area; the practice outside it with the most is Manor View Practice (18,231).
How many patients are there per GP in Watford?
2,485 patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP at practices in Watford, against 2,171 across England.
Can you get a same-day GP appointment in Watford?
53% of appointments at practices in Watford took place on the day they were booked, against 45% across England.