Fronks Road Surgery, Harwich: patient reviews and CQC rating
Fronks Road Surgery is a GP practice in Harwich with 5,055 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 72% 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 December 2023. It has 1.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 5,055 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Fronks Road Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 71%, above the England figure of 58%. Its weakest is the share who said the healthcare professional was good at listening to them: 79%, below the England figure of 87%. Of the 11 results in the table, 1 is above England and 4 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 6 within it.
On overall experience it is 2nd of the 3 practices in Harwich with 50 or more responses. 50% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 19 points higher than in 2025 (53%). 101 patients answered the survey (response rate 32%).
| Survey question | Fronks Road Surgery | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 72% | 74% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 50% | 50% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 71% | 56% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 66% | 51% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 80% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 70% | 70% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 68% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 79% | 84% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 78% | 83% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 87% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 83% | 89% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Fronks Road Surgery is Good, published in December 2023. One key question is rated differently: Well-led Requires Improvement. Its previous overall rating was Inadequate (October 2022).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Requires Improvement |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
5,055 patients were registered at Fronks Road Surgery in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
24% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 1.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 5,055 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Essex's 2,514. The practice also has 2.5 nurses and 1.4 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 2.2 | 2.2 |
| August 2024 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| August 2025 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| August 2026 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,803 appointments a month, or 752 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 59% were face to face (England: 63%). 58% took place on the day they were booked and 4% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
25% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 5% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Fronks Road Surgery | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 752 | 480 | 510 |
| Face to face | 59% | 69% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 58% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 4% | 5% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for chronic kidney disease (6.8% against 4.6%) and asthma (8.7% against 6.6%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.0% against 1.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 35.1 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 81.7 years for women and 77.2 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 16.4% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 16.1% | 15.2% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.7% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.1% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.8% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.8% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.8% | 3.0% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.4% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.7% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.6% | 1.9% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.7% | 1.1% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.0% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 73.3% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 76.7% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 64.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 67.4% | 74.9% |
Fronks Road Surgery, Cleveleys, 77 Fronks Road, Harwich, CO12 3RS. Phone: 01255 556868.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Mayflower Medical Centre | 0.8 km | 66% |
| Haven Health Medical Centre | 5.2 km | 95% |
| Howard House Surgery | 6.2 km | 80% |
| Dr Michael Coggan | 6.2 km | 80% |
| Grove Medical Centre | 6.9 km | 93% |
- Ardleigh Surgery (77% overall experience good)
- Dr Michael Coggan (80% overall experience good)
- Mayflower Medical Centre (66% overall experience good)
- Riverside Health Centre (69% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Fronks Road Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 72% of patients described their overall experience of Fronks Road Surgery as good, against 77% across England. 50% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Fronks Road Surgery?
5,055 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.2% on a year earlier.
What is Fronks Road Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in December 2023.
How many GPs does Fronks Road Surgery have?
1.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (1 qualified GP by headcount), which is 5,055 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Fronks Road Surgery face to face?
59% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Fronks Road Surgery's phone number?
01255 556868.