The Derby Road Practice, Ipswich: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Derby Road Practice is a GP practice in Ipswich with 19,431 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 December 2022. It has 5.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 3,429 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Derby Road Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 87%, above the England figure of 58%. Its result closest to England is the share who said their needs were met at their last appointment: 93%, against 90% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 5 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 6 within it.
On overall experience it is 6th of the 16 practices in Ipswich with 50 or more responses. 74% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 6 points higher than in 2025 (76%). 112 patients answered the survey (response rate 29%).
| Survey question | The Derby Road Practice | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 82% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 74% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 87% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 60% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 93% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 81% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 93% | 74% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 92% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 91% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 93% | 92% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 85% of 342 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for The Derby Road Practice is Good, published in December 2022. One key question is rated differently: Well-led Outstanding. It held the same rating in the report before (November 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Outstanding |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
19,431 patients were registered at The Derby Road Practice in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
17% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 5.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 3,429 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Norfolk and Suffolk's 2,133. The practice also has 5.6 nurses and 3.8 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 7.4 | 9.3 |
| August 2024 | 7.4 | 10.1 |
| August 2025 | 4.9 | 6.6 |
| August 2026 | 5.7 | 8.7 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 6,250 appointments a month, or 322 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 55% were face to face (England: 63%). 50% took place on the day they were booked and 9% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
20% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Derby Road Practice | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 322 | 578 | 510 |
| Face to face | 55% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 50% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 9% | 8% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for a learning disability (0.8% against 0.6%) and chronic kidney disease (6.1% against 4.6%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.1% against 1.2%) and palliative or supportive care needs (0.4% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 20.3 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.4 years for women and 79.9 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 15.4% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.6% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.6% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.4% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.1% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.5% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.0% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.9% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.8% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.6% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.1% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 76.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 81.2% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 75.5% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 77.4% | 74.9% |
The Derby Road Practice, 52 Derby Road, Ipswich, IP3 8DN. Phone: 01473 728121.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Felixstowe Road Medical Practice | 0.3 km | 80% |
| St. Helen's Street | 1.5 km | 41% |
| Two Rivers Medical Centre | 1.6 km | 82% |
| Dr Solway & Dr Roy Practice | 1.6 km | 81% |
| Orchard Street Medical Practice - White | 1.6 km | 89% |
- Combs Ford Surgery (73% overall experience good)
- Debenham Group Practice (88% overall experience good)
- Eye Health Centre (73% overall experience good)
- Framlingham Surgery (69% overall experience good)
- Fressingfield Medical Centre (96% overall experience good)
- Haven Health Medical Centre (95% overall experience good)
- Howard House Surgery (80% overall experience good)
- Mendlesham Medical Group (86% overall experience good)
- Stowhealth (93% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Derby Road Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 82% of patients described their overall experience of The Derby Road Practice as good, against 77% across England. 74% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Derby Road Practice?
19,431 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.3% on a year earlier.
What is The Derby Road Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in December 2022.
How many GPs does The Derby Road Practice have?
5.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (9 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 3,429 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Derby Road Practice face to face?
55% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Derby Road Practice's phone number?
01473 728121.