Dr Howells & Partners, Kintbury: patient reviews and CQC rating
Dr Howells & Partners is a GP practice in Kintbury with 9,687 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 97% 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 2017. It has 6.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,442 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Dr Howells & Partners
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 92%, 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: 94%, against 93% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 7 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 4 within it.
92% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 4 points higher than in 2025 (93%). 112 patients answered the survey (response rate 42%).
| Survey question | Dr Howells & Partners | Thames Valley | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 97% | 76% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 92% | 56% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 82% | 57% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 82% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 97% | 84% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 87% | 72% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 84% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 91% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 90% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 95% | 90% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 97% of 185 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Dr Howells & Partners is Good, published in January 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (June 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
9,687 patients were registered at Dr Howells & Partners in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
26% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 6.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,442 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Thames Valley's 2,121. The practice also has 1.7 nurses and 1.6 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 6.7 | 8.4 |
| August 2024 | 6.3 | 8.4 |
| August 2025 | 7.2 | 8.9 |
| August 2026 | 6.7 | 7.8 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 4,798 appointments a month, or 495 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 57% were face to face (England: 63%). 49% took place on the day they were booked and 4% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
68% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Dr Howells & Partners | Thames Valley | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 495 | 451 | 510 |
| Face to face | 57% | 60% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 49% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 4% | 4% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for cancer (5.7% against 3.8%), atrial fibrillation (3.2% against 2.2%) and dementia (1.1% against 0.8%). It has a lower share for palliative or supportive care needs (0.2% against 0.6%), COPD (1.2% against 1.9%) and diabetes (5.9% against 7.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 11.9 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 85.7 years for women and 81.7 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 17.8% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 13.0% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.8% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.5% | 4.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 5.9% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.7% | 3.8% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.2% | 2.2% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.0% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.2% | 1.9% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.8% | 1.2% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 80.8% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 80.7% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 74.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 77.4% | 74.9% |
Dr Howells & Partners, Kintbury Surgery, Newbury Street, Kintbury, RG17 9UX. Phone: 01488 658294. Website: www.kintburyandwooltonhillsurgeries.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Hungerford Surgery | 5.3 km | 89% |
| Falkland Surgery | 7.9 km | 81% |
| Strawberry Hill Medical Centre | 8.2 km | 76% |
| Eastfield House Surgery | 8.5 km | 75% |
| The Old School Surgery | 11.3 km | 98% |
- Hungerford Surgery (89% overall experience good)
- Lambourn Surgery (85% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Dr Howells & Partners?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 97% of patients described their overall experience of Dr Howells & Partners as good, above the England figure of 77%. 92% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Dr Howells & Partners?
9,687 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.4% on a year earlier.
What is Dr Howells & Partners's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in January 2017.
How many GPs does Dr Howells & Partners have?
6.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (9 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,442 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Dr Howells & Partners face to face?
57% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Dr Howells & Partners's phone number?
01488 658294.