Bell House Medical Centre, Luton: patient reviews and CQC rating
Bell House Medical Centre is a GP practice in Luton with 10,375 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 80% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Central East: 75%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in July 2016. It has 5.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,936 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Bell House Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 73%, against 69% across England. Its weakest is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 82%, below the England figure of 93%. Of the 11 results in the table, 0 are above England and 2 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 9 within it.
On overall experience it is 6th of the 25 practices in Luton with 50 or more responses. 54% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 16 points higher than in 2025 (64%). 95 patients answered the survey (response rate 17%).
| Survey question | Bell House Medical Centre | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 80% | 75% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 54% | 52% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 60% | 60% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 56% | 52% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 84% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 71% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 73% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 85% | 86% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 81% | 85% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 82% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 81% | 89% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Bell House Medical Centre is Good, published in July 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
10,375 patients were registered at Bell House Medical Centre in September 2026, down 4.6% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
13% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 5.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,936 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. The practice also has 2.3 nurses and 1.0 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 5.4 | 7.6 |
| August 2024 | 5.4 | 8.9 |
| August 2025 | 5.4 | 7.3 |
| August 2026 | 5.4 | 6.4 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,243 appointments a month, or 313 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 76% were face to face (England: 63%). 63% took place on the day they were booked and 5% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
70% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 5% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Bell House Medical Centre | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 313 | 521 | 510 |
| Face to face | 76% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 63% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 5% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for diabetes (14.0% against 7.9%) and serious mental illness (1.4% against 1.0%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.3% against 1.2%), palliative or supportive care needs (0.3% against 0.6%) and atrial fibrillation (1.2% against 2.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 38.1 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 81.4 years for women and 75.9 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 14.0% | 7.9% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 13.1% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 7.6% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.2% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.3% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.7% | 3.0% |
| Cancer | All ages | 2.6% | 3.8% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.8% | 1.9% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.4% | 1.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.2% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.2% | 1.9% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.6% | 1.1% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.3% | 1.2% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 61.7% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 58.6% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 53.5% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 67.9% | 74.9% |
Bell House Medical Centre, 163 Dunstable Road, Luton, LU1 1BW. Phone: 01582 349889. Website: www.bellhousedoctor.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Lea Vale Medical Practice | 0.4 km | 73% |
| Malzeard Road Medical Centre | 0.5 km | 74% |
| Bute House Medical Centre | 0.5 km | 85% |
| Dr R Khanchandani's Practice | 0.9 km | 71% |
| Town Centre Surgery | 1.1 km | 76% |
- Barton Hills Medical Group (72% overall experience good)
- Dr Z Ahmad & Partners (63% overall experience good)
- The Medici Medical Practice (67% overall experience good)
- Woodland Avenue Practice (72% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Bell House Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 80% of patients described their overall experience of Bell House Medical Centre as good, against 77% across England. 54% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Bell House Medical Centre?
10,375 patients were registered in September 2026, down 4.6% on a year earlier.
What is Bell House Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in July 2016.
How many GPs does Bell House Medical Centre have?
5.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,936 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Bell House Medical Centre face to face?
76% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Bell House Medical Centre's phone number?
01582 349889.