The Garden City Surgery, Letchworth Garden City: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Garden City Surgery is a GP practice in Letchworth Garden City with 8,006 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 51% 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 March 2017. It has 3.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,229 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Garden City Surgery
Its result closest to England is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 90%, against 93% across England. Its weakest is the share who found the reception and administrative team helpful: 56%, below the England figure of 85%. Of the 11 results in the table, 0 are above England and 9 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 2 within it.
On overall experience it is 3rd of the 3 practices in Letchworth Garden City with 50 or more responses. 28% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is unchanged from 2025 (51%). 116 patients answered the survey (response rate 27%).
| Survey question | The Garden City Surgery | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 51% | 75% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 28% | 52% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 42% | 60% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 35% | 52% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 56% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 45% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 49% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 82% | 86% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 75% | 85% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 90% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 75% | 89% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for The Garden City Surgery is Good, published in March 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
8,006 patients were registered at The Garden City Surgery in September 2026, down 1.7% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
15% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,229 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. The practice also has 2.4 nurses and 0.8 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| August 2024 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| August 2025 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| August 2026 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,070 appointments a month, or 259 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 96% were face to face (England: 63%). 26% took place on the day they were booked and 5% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
36% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 16% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Garden City Surgery | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 259 | 521 | 510 |
| Face to face | 96% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 26% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 5% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 16% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a lower share of patients for osteoporosis (0.1% against 1.2%), chronic kidney disease (1.6% against 4.6%) and peripheral arterial disease (0.3% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 17.9 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.2 years for women and 80.4 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 11.0% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 10.8% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.6% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.6% | 6.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.4% | 3.0% |
| Cancer | All ages | 2.3% | 3.8% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 1.6% | 4.6% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.6% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.5% | 1.9% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.2% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.7% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | 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 | 69.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 70.9% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 65.4% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 69.3% | 74.9% |
The Garden City Surgery, 57-59 Station Road, Letchworth Garden City, SG6 3BJ. Phone: 01462 624000. Website: www.gardencitysurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Birchwood Surgery | 0.2 km | 58% |
| The Nevells Road Surgery | 0.3 km | 66% |
| The Baldock Surgery | 2.9 km | 73% |
| Larksfield Surgery Medical Partnership | 4.1 km | 67% |
| Regal Chambers Surgery | 4.6 km | 72% |
- Ashwell Surgery (59% overall experience good)
- Birchwood Surgery (58% overall experience good)
- The Baldock Surgery (73% overall experience good)
- The Nevells Road Surgery (66% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Garden City Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 51% of patients described their overall experience of The Garden City Surgery as good, below the England figure of 77%. 28% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Garden City Surgery?
8,006 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.7% on a year earlier.
What is The Garden City Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in March 2017.
How many GPs does The Garden City Surgery have?
3.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (3 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,229 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Garden City Surgery face to face?
96% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Garden City Surgery's phone number?
01462 624000.