Barrack Lane Medical Centre, Ipswich: patient reviews and CQC rating
Barrack Lane Medical Centre is a GP practice in Ipswich with 21,499 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 82% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Norfolk and Suffolk: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in September 2016. It has 4.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 4,423 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Barrack Lane Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 82%, above the England figure of 69%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 50%, against 58% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 1 is above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 10 within it.
On overall experience it is 5th of the 16 practices in Ipswich with 50 or more responses. 62% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 7 points higher than in 2025 (75%). 131 patients answered the survey (response rate 25%).
| Survey question | Barrack Lane Medical Centre | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 82% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 62% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 50% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 52% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 88% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 79% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 82% | 74% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 90% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 90% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 94% | 92% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 87% of 111 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Barrack Lane Medical Centre is Good, published in September 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
21,499 patients were registered at Barrack Lane Medical Centre in September 2026, down 0.8% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
13% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 4.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 4,423 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Norfolk and Suffolk's 2,133. The practice also has 6.0 nurses and 8.2 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 2.4 | 6.9 |
| August 2024 | 4.2 | 5.4 |
| August 2025 | 4.9 | 9.3 |
| August 2026 | 4.9 | 8.5 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 8,950 appointments a month, or 416 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 55% were face to face (England: 63%). 45% took place on the day they were booked and 2% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
38% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 5% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Barrack Lane Medical Centre | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 416 | 578 | 510 |
| Face to face | 55% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 45% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 2% | 8% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for depression (18.6% against 14.3%) and epilepsy (1.0% against 0.8%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.5% against 1.2%), palliative or supportive care needs (0.3% against 0.6%) and cancer (2.1% against 3.8%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 30.9 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 81.9 years for women and 77.6 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 18.6% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 13.4% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.2% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 5.7% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.7% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.3% | 3.0% |
| Cancer | All ages | 2.1% | 3.8% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.6% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.4% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.3% | 2.2% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.5% | 1.2% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 69.6% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 75.4% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 70.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 76.0% | 74.9% |
Barrack Lane Medical Centre, 1 Barrack Lane, Ipswich, IP1 3NQ. Phone: 01473 252827. Website: www.barracklane.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Burlington Road Surgery | 0.2 km | 68% |
| Ivry Street Medical Practice | 0.4 km | 86% |
| Dr Solway & Dr Roy Practice | 1.1 km | 81% |
| Orchard Street Medical Practice - White | 1.1 km | 89% |
| St. Helen's Street | 1.3 km | 41% |
- Ivry Street Medical Practice (86% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Barrack Lane Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 82% of patients described their overall experience of Barrack Lane Medical Centre as good, against 77% across England. 62% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Barrack Lane Medical Centre?
21,499 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.8% on a year earlier.
What is Barrack Lane Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in September 2016.
How many GPs does Barrack Lane Medical Centre have?
4.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (7 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 4,423 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Barrack Lane Medical Centre face to face?
55% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Barrack Lane Medical Centre's phone number?
01473 252827.