Hedingham Medical Centre, Halstead: patient reviews and CQC rating
Hedingham Medical Centre is a GP practice in Halstead with 9,384 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 83% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Essex: 74%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in September 2017. It has 3.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,469 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Hedingham Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 79%, above the England figure of 69%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 29%, below the England figure of 58%. Of the 11 results in the table, 2 are above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 8 within it.
54% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 10 points higher than in 2025 (73%). 107 patients answered the survey (response rate 36%).
| Survey question | Hedingham Medical Centre | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 83% | 74% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 54% | 50% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 29% | 56% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 37% | 51% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 85% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 73% | 70% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 79% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 94% | 84% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 94% | 83% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 95% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 97% of 211 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Hedingham Medical Centre is Good, published in September 2017. One key question is rated differently: Responsive Requires Improvement. Its previous overall rating was Requires Improvement (August 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Requires Improvement |
| Effective | Good |
9,384 patients were registered at Hedingham Medical Centre in September 2026, down 0.8% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
24% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,469 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Essex's 2,514. The practice also has 2.8 nurses and 5.2 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| August 2024 | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| August 2025 | 4.7 | 4.7 |
| August 2026 | 3.8 | 3.8 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,697 appointments a month, or 394 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 76% were face to face (England: 63%). 38% took place on the day they were booked and 11% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
36% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Hedingham Medical Centre | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 394 | 480 | 510 |
| Face to face | 76% | 69% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 38% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 11% | 5% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for cancer (5.2% against 3.8%), chronic kidney disease (6.1% against 4.6%) and atrial fibrillation (2.8% against 2.2%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.3% against 1.2%) and serious mental illness (0.6% against 1.0%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 16.4 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 85.3 years for women and 82.5 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 17.0% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.7% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.2% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.7% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.1% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.2% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.4% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.8% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.7% | 1.9% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.6% | 1.0% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.3% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 74.8% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 79.4% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 77.2% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 76.2% | 74.9% |
Hedingham Medical Centre, 77 Swan Street, Sible Hedingham, Halstead, CO9 3HT. Phone: 01787 460612. Website: www.hiltonhousesurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Elizabeth Courtauld Partnership | 6.0 km | 79% |
| The Pump House Surgery | 9.7 km | 75% |
| Guildhall Surgery Clare | 9.9 km | 81% |
| The Freshford Practice | 10.2 km | 91% |
| Hardwicke House | 10.2 km | 79% |
- Kelvedon & Feering Health Centre (77% overall experience good)
- The Coggeshall Surgery (94% overall experience good)
- The Elizabeth Courtauld Partnership (79% overall experience good)
- The Freshford Practice (91% overall experience good)
- The Pump House Surgery (75% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Hedingham Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 83% of patients described their overall experience of Hedingham Medical Centre as good, against 77% across England. 54% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Hedingham Medical Centre?
9,384 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.8% on a year earlier.
What is Hedingham Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in September 2017.
How many GPs does Hedingham Medical Centre have?
3.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,469 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Hedingham Medical Centre face to face?
76% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Hedingham Medical Centre's phone number?
01787 460612.