Whipton Surgery, Exeter: patient reviews and CQC rating
Whipton Surgery is a GP practice in Exeter with 4,942 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 84% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Devon: 79%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in November 2022. It has 2.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,193 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Whipton Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 83%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who said the healthcare professional was good at listening to them: 80%, below the England figure of 87%. Of the 11 results in the table, 3 are above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 7 within it.
On overall experience it is 12th of the 20 practices in Exeter with 50 or more responses. 83% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is unchanged from 2025 (84%). 108 patients answered the survey (response rate 31%).
| Survey question | Whipton Surgery | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 84% | 79% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 83% | 59% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 74% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 64% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 93% | 87% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 78% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 78% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 80% | 90% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 87% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 97% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 93% | 91% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Whipton Surgery is Good, published in November 2022. One key question is rated differently: Responsive Outstanding. It held the same rating in the report before (July 2018).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Outstanding |
| Effective | Good |
4,942 patients were registered at Whipton Surgery in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
16% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,193 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Devon's 1,863. The practice also has 0.4 nurses and 0.7 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 2.5 | 3.1 |
| August 2024 | 2.4 | 3.0 |
| August 2025 | 2.4 | 3.4 |
| August 2026 | 2.3 | 3.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,474 appointments a month, or 703 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 77% were face to face (England: 63%). 44% took place on the day they were booked and 4% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
52% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 2% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Whipton Surgery | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 703 | 626 | 510 |
| Face to face | 77% | 54% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 44% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 4% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for a learning disability (1.3% against 0.6%), COPD (2.7% against 1.9%) and depression (18.9% against 14.3%). It has a lower share for palliative or supportive care needs (0.2% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 21.3 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.7 years for women and 79.3 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 18.9% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.4% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.5% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.2% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.1% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.9% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.5% | 3.0% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.7% | 1.9% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.1% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.0% | 2.2% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.7% | 1.2% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.2% | 1.0% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 76.6% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 62.5% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 65.9% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 77.8% | 74.9% |
Whipton Surgery, 378 Pinhoe Road, Exeter, EX4 8EG. Phone: 01392 462770. Website: www.thewhiptonsurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Hill Barton Surgery | 1.2 km | 82% |
| Pinhoe Surgery | 1.4 km | 89% |
| The Heavitree Practice | 1.6 km | 98% |
| The South Lawn Medical Practice | 1.6 km | 86% |
| Isca Medical Practice | 1.8 km | 84% |
- Barnfield Hill Surgery (91% overall experience good)
- Clock Tower Surgery (81% overall experience good)
- Southernhay House Surgery (82% overall experience good)
- St Leonard's Practice (74% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Whipton Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 84% of patients described their overall experience of Whipton Surgery as good, against 77% across England. 83% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Whipton Surgery?
4,942 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.4% on a year earlier.
What is Whipton Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in November 2022.
How many GPs does Whipton Surgery have?
2.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (5 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,193 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Whipton Surgery face to face?
77% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Whipton Surgery's phone number?
01392 462770.