The Bell Surgery, Henley On Thames: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Bell Surgery is a GP practice in Henley On Thames with 10,993 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 94% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Thames Valley: 76%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in January 2019. It has 6.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,796 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Bell Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 88%, above the England figure of 57%. Its result closest to England is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 98%, above the England figure of 93%. Of the 11 results in the table, 9 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 2 within it.
On overall experience it is 1st of the 3 practices in Henley On Thames with 50 or more responses. 88% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 1 point higher than in 2025 (93%). 117 patients answered the survey (response rate 30%).
| Survey question | The Bell Surgery | Thames Valley | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 94% | 76% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 88% | 56% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 68% | 57% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 69% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 97% | 84% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 92% | 72% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 85% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 95% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 95% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 98% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 97% | 90% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 96% of 436 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for The Bell Surgery is Good, published in January 2019. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (August 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
10,993 patients were registered at The Bell Surgery in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
23% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 6.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,796 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Thames Valley's 2,121. The practice also has 2.5 nurses and 1.5 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 5.3 | 8.1 |
| August 2024 | 4.5 | 7.3 |
| August 2025 | 5.9 | 9.1 |
| August 2026 | 6.1 | 8.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 4,894 appointments a month, or 445 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 63% were face to face (England: 63%). 39% took place on the day they were booked and 6% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
52% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Bell Surgery | Thames Valley | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 445 | 451 | 510 |
| Face to face | 63% | 60% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 39% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 6% | 4% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for atrial fibrillation (3.4% against 2.2%) and cancer (5.2% against 3.8%). It has a lower share for diabetes (4.4% against 7.9%), osteoporosis (0.7% against 1.2%) and COPD (1.1% against 1.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 7.2 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 85.8 years for women and 82.4 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.3% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 13.4% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 5.8% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.2% | 3.8% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 4.4% | 7.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.4% | 2.2% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.0% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.4% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.1% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.7% | 1.2% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 77.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 75.6% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 70.7% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 76.8% | 74.9% |
The Bell Surgery, York Road, Henley On Thames, RG9 2DR. Phone: 01491 843250. Website: www.thebellsurgery.nhs.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Hart Surgery | 0.0 km | 89% |
| Wargrave Practice | 5.2 km | 85% |
| Sonning Common Health Centre | 5.7 km | 91% |
| Twyford Practice | 7.0 km | 74% |
| Nettlebed Surgery | 7.1 km | 87% |
- Nettlebed Surgery (87% overall experience good)
- Sonning Common Health Centre (91% overall experience good)
- The Hart Surgery (89% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Bell Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 94% of patients described their overall experience of The Bell Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 88% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Bell Surgery?
10,993 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.2% on a year earlier.
What is The Bell Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in January 2019.
How many GPs does The Bell Surgery have?
6.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (8 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,796 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Bell Surgery face to face?
63% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Bell Surgery's phone number?
01491 843250.