Leighton Road Surgery, Leighton Buzzard: patient reviews and CQC rating
Leighton Road Surgery is a GP practice in Leighton Buzzard with 19,335 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 63% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77% (Central East: 75%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in November 2021. It has 7.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,666 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Leighton Road Surgery
Its result closest to England is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 92%, against 93% across England. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 33%, below the England figure of 57%. Of the 11 results in the table, 0 are above England and 5 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 6 within it.
On overall experience it is 5th of the 5 practices in Leighton Buzzard with 50 or more responses. 33% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 5 points higher than in 2025 (58%). 92 patients answered the survey (response rate 22%).
| Survey question | Leighton Road Surgery | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 63% | 75% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 33% | 52% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 53% | 60% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 48% | 52% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 73% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 57% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 65% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 82% | 86% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 74% | 85% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 92% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 89% | 89% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Leighton Road Surgery is Good, published in November 2021. All 5 key questions are rated Good. Its previous overall rating was Requires Improvement (November 2020).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
19,335 patients were registered at Leighton Road Surgery in September 2026, down 1.5% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
17% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 7.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,666 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. The practice also has 3.8 nurses and 4.2 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| August 2024 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| August 2025 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| August 2026 | 7.3 | 7.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 6,344 appointments a month, or 328 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 82% were face to face (England: 63%). 23% took place on the day they were booked and 14% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
33% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Leighton Road Surgery | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 328 | 521 | 510 |
| Face to face | 82% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 23% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 14% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a lower share of patients for osteoporosis (0.2% against 1.2%), palliative or supportive care needs (0.3% against 0.6%) and a learning disability (0.4% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 11.2 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.9 years for women and 80.7 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.4% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 13.7% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.1% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.6% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.6% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.1% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.8% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.9% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.6% | 1.9% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.5% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.2% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 71.1% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 68.1% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 70.9% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 68.2% | 74.9% |
99% of the practice's patients live in the LU7 postcode district. 96% live in Central Bedfordshire, the council area the practice is in.
| Postcode district | Registered patients | Share |
|---|---|---|
| LU7 | 19,048 | 99% |
Leighton Road Surgery, 1 Leighton Road, Linslade, Leighton Buzzard, LU7 1LB. Phone: 01525 372571.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Henderson and Partners | 0.4 km | 68% |
| Salisbury House Surgery | 0.5 km | 65% |
| Ashcroft Surgery | 3.9 km | 89% |
| 3W Health | 3.9 km | 82% |
| Edlesborough Surgery | 7.6 km | 87% |
- Dr Henderson and Partners (68% overall experience good)
- Salisbury House Surgery (65% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Leighton Road Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 63% of patients described their overall experience of Leighton Road Surgery as good, below the England figure of 77%. 33% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Leighton Road Surgery?
19,335 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.5% on a year earlier.
What is Leighton Road Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in November 2021.
How many GPs does Leighton Road Surgery have?
7.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (10 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,666 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Leighton Road Surgery face to face?
82% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Leighton Road Surgery's phone number?
01525 372571.