The Downland Practice, Newbury: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Downland Practice is a GP practice in Newbury with 11,098 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 87% 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 February 2016. It has 5.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,065 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Downland Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 76%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 50%, against 54% 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 1st of the 4 practices in Newbury with 50 or more responses. 76% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 8 points higher than in 2025 (79%). 120 patients answered the survey (response rate 35%).
| Survey question | The Downland Practice | Thames Valley | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 87% | 76% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 76% | 56% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 59% | 57% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 50% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 84% | 84% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 84% | 72% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 68% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 91% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 94% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 98% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 94% | 90% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 94% of 306 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for The Downland Practice is Good, published in February 2016. One key question is rated differently: Responsive Outstanding.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Outstanding |
| Effective | Good |
11,098 patients were registered at The Downland Practice in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
21% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 5.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,065 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Thames Valley's 2,121. The practice also has 1.6 nurses and 11.9 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 6.1 | 6.1 |
| August 2024 | 7.2 | 9.3 |
| August 2025 | 5.4 | 7.5 |
| August 2026 | 5.4 | 7.5 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,017 appointments a month, or 452 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 66% were face to face (England: 63%). 42% took place on the day they were booked and 2% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
56% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Downland Practice | Thames Valley | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 452 | 451 | 510 |
| Face to face | 66% | 60% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 42% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 2% | 4% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for osteoporosis (3.4% against 1.2%), a learning disability (1.1% against 0.6%) and cancer (4.9% against 3.8%). It has a lower share for palliative or supportive care needs (0.2% against 0.6%), serious mental illness (0.5% against 1.0%) and diabetes (5.7% against 7.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 11.6 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 86.1 years for women and 84.1 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 17.3% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 15.4% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.8% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 5.7% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.9% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.7% | 4.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 3.4% | 1.2% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.5% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.4% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.4% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.5% | 1.0% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | 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 | 80.9% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 84.1% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 82.8% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 79.3% | 74.9% |
The Downland Practice, East Lane, Chieveley, Newbury, RG20 8UY. Phone: 01635 248251.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Strawberry Hill Medical Centre | 6.5 km | 76% |
| Thatcham Health Centre | 7.5 km | 80% |
| Eastfield House Surgery | 7.6 km | 75% |
| Burdwood Surgery | 8.9 km | 85% |
| Falkland Surgery | 9.2 km | 81% |
- Eastfield House Surgery (75% overall experience good)
- Strawberry Hill Medical Centre (76% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Downland Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 87% of patients described their overall experience of The Downland Practice as good, above the England figure of 77%. 76% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Downland Practice?
11,098 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.1% on a year earlier.
What is The Downland Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in February 2016.
How many GPs does The Downland Practice have?
5.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (8 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,065 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Downland Practice face to face?
66% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Downland Practice's phone number?
01635 248251.