Embrace Medical Centre, Ipswich: patient reviews and CQC rating
Embrace Medical Centre is a GP practice in Ipswich with 6,502 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 70% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Norfolk and Suffolk: 80%). It has 1.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 3,965 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Embrace Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 84%, above the England figure of 69%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 45%, below the England figure of 57%. Of the 11 results in the table, 1 is above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 9 within it.
On overall experience it is 13th of the 16 practices in Ipswich with 50 or more responses. 45% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 3 points higher than in 2025 (67%). 108 patients answered the survey (response rate 33%).
| Survey question | Embrace Medical Centre | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 70% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 45% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 63% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 48% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 84% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 73% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 84% | 74% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 90% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 89% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 90% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 89% | 92% | 90% |
6,502 patients were registered at Embrace Medical Centre in September 2026, down 1.2% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
23% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 1.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 3,965 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Norfolk and Suffolk's 2,133. The practice also has 2.1 nurses and 1.7 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 2.6 | 2.6 |
| August 2024 | 1.9 | 4.8 |
| August 2025 | 1.6 | 6.5 |
| August 2026 | 1.6 | 5.7 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,710 appointments a month, or 417 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 89% were face to face (England: 63%). 50% took place on the day they were booked and 2% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
47% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Embrace Medical Centre | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 417 | 578 | 510 |
| Face to face | 89% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 50% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 2% | 8% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for chronic kidney disease (8.1% against 4.6%), coronary heart disease (4.1% against 3.0%) and cancer (5.0% against 3.8%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.1% against 1.2%) and COPD (1.1% against 1.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 7.7 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 85.6 years for women and 81.9 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 17.5% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 13.0% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.2% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 8.1% | 4.6% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 5.9% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.0% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.1% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.9% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.5% | 1.1% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.1% | 1.9% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.1% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 79.6% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 83.4% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 73.2% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 78.9% | 74.9% |
Embrace Medical Centre, Twelve Acre Approach, Kesgrave, Ipswich, IP5 1JF. Phone: 01473 624800. Website: www.thebircheskesgrave.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Martlesham Heath Surgery | 2.5 km | 89% |
| Two Rivers Medical Centre | 2.8 km | 82% |
| Felixstowe Road Medical Practice | 3.8 km | 80% |
| The Derby Road Practice | 4.0 km | 82% |
| Ravenswood Medical Practice | 4.3 km | 74% |
- Cardinal Medical Practice (66% overall experience good)
- Martlesham Heath Surgery (89% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Embrace Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 70% of patients described their overall experience of Embrace Medical Centre as good, against 77% across England. 45% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Embrace Medical Centre?
6,502 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.2% on a year earlier.
How many GPs does Embrace Medical Centre have?
1.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (2 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 3,965 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Embrace Medical Centre face to face?
89% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Embrace Medical Centre's phone number?
01473 624800.