Needham Market Country Practice, Ipswich: patient reviews and CQC rating
Needham Market Country Practice is a GP practice in Ipswich with 13,759 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 55% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77% (Norfolk and Suffolk: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in May 2018. It has 6.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,039 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Needham Market Country Practice
Its best result against England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 77%, against 69% across England. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 28%, below the England figure of 57%. Of the 11 results in the table, 0 are above England and 7 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 4 within it.
On overall experience it is 16th of the 16 practices in Ipswich with 50 or more responses. 28% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 11 points lower than in 2025 (66%). 109 patients answered the survey (response rate 36%).
| Survey question | Needham Market Country Practice | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 55% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 28% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 37% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 50% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 78% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 47% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 77% | 74% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 80% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 79% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 91% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 87% | 92% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Needham Market Country Practice is Good, published in May 2018. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (May 2017).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
13,759 patients were registered at Needham Market Country Practice in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
27% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 6.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,039 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Norfolk and Suffolk's 2,133. The practice also has 4.1 nurses and 9.2 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| August 2024 | 6.7 | 6.7 |
| August 2025 | 6.7 | 8.9 |
| August 2026 | 6.7 | 7.8 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 10,407 appointments a month, or 756 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 48% were face to face (England: 63%). 68% took place on the day they were booked and 2% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
60% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 1% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Needham Market Country Practice | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 756 | 578 | 510 |
| Face to face | 48% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 68% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 2% | 8% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 1% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for osteoporosis (4.2% against 1.2%), chronic kidney disease (7.2% against 4.6%) and atrial fibrillation (3.2% against 2.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 12.7 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.5 years for women and 80.5 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 18.7% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 15.3% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.8% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.5% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.2% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.9% | 3.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 4.2% | 1.2% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.6% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.2% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.8% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 79.4% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 86.4% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 78.1% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 76.8% | 74.9% |
Needham Market Country Practice, Barking Road, Needham Market, Ipswich, IP6 8EZ. Phone: 01449 720666. Website: www.needhamsurgery.co.uk/.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Combs Ford Surgery | 5.5 km | 73% |
| Stowhealth | 6.9 km | 93% |
| Cardinal Medical Practice | 9.8 km | 66% |
| Bildeston Health Centre | 10.9 km | 95% |
| Ivry Street Medical Practice | 11.2 km | 86% |
- Bildeston Health Centre (95% overall experience good)
- Constable Country Rural Medical Practice (62% overall experience good)
- Hadleigh Boxford Group Practice (90% overall experience good)
- Holbrook Surgery (81% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Needham Market Country Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 55% of patients described their overall experience of Needham Market Country Practice as good, below the England figure of 77%. 28% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Needham Market Country Practice?
13,759 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.3% on a year earlier.
What is Needham Market Country Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in May 2018.
How many GPs does Needham Market Country Practice have?
6.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (7 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,039 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Needham Market Country Practice face to face?
48% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Needham Market Country Practice's phone number?
01449 720666.