The Heavitree Practice, Exeter: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Heavitree Practice is a GP practice in Exeter with 7,826 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 98% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Devon: 79%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in May 2016. It has 4.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,774 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Heavitree Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 99%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who said their needs were met at their last appointment: 88%, against 90% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 7 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 4 within it.
On overall experience it is 2nd of the 20 practices in Exeter with 50 or more responses. 99% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 3 points higher than in 2025 (95%). 126 patients answered the survey (response rate 36%).
| Survey question | The Heavitree Practice | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 98% | 79% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 99% | 59% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 69% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 85% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 94% | 87% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 97% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 94% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 92% | 90% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 91% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 99% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 88% | 91% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for The Heavitree Practice is Good, published in May 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
7,826 patients were registered at The Heavitree Practice in September 2026, down 0.9% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
18% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 4.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,774 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Devon's 1,863. The practice also has 1.8 nurses and 0.8 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 4.0 | 5.7 |
| August 2024 | 4.0 | 6.7 |
| August 2025 | 4.4 | 6.3 |
| August 2026 | 4.4 | 6.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 4,463 appointments a month, or 570 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 63% were face to face (England: 63%). 41% took place on the day they were booked and 7% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
44% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Heavitree Practice | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 570 | 626 | 510 |
| Face to face | 63% | 54% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 41% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 7% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a lower share of patients for palliative or supportive care needs (0.2% against 0.6%), diabetes (6.2% against 7.9%) and coronary heart disease (2.3% against 3.0%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 13.9 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.7 years for women and 79.7 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 15.4% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 12.9% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.5% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.2% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.1% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.4% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.3% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.1% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.7% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.8% | 1.2% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 78.4% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 71.1% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 66.9% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 70.0% | 74.9% |
The Heavitree Practice, Heavitree Health Centre, South Lawn Terrace, Exeter, EX1 2RX. Phone: 01392 222099. Website: www.theheavitreepractice.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The South Lawn Medical Practice | 0.0 km | 86% |
| Isca Medical Practice | 0.7 km | 84% |
| Barnfield Hill Surgery | 1.1 km | 91% |
| Wonford Green Surgery | 1.1 km | 91% |
| St Leonard's Practice | 1.2 km | 74% |
- Hill Barton Surgery (82% overall experience good)
- Isca Medical Practice (84% overall experience good)
- Mount Pleasant Health Centre (86% overall experience good)
- The South Lawn Medical Practice (86% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Heavitree Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 98% of patients described their overall experience of The Heavitree Practice as good, above the England figure of 77%. 99% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Heavitree Practice?
7,826 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.9% on a year earlier.
What is The Heavitree Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in May 2016.
How many GPs does The Heavitree Practice have?
4.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (7 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,774 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Heavitree Practice face to face?
63% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Heavitree Practice's phone number?
01392 222099.