Wensum Valley Medical Practice West Earlham Health Centre, Norwich: patient reviews and CQC rating
Wensum Valley Medical Practice West Earlham Health Centre is a GP practice in Norwich with 12,981 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 77% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Norfolk and Suffolk: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Requires Improvement overall, in a report published in December 2022. It has 6.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,907 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Wensum Valley Medical Practice West Earlham Health Centre
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 68%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 46%, below the England figure of 69%. Of the 11 results in the table, 2 are above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 8 within it.
On overall experience it is 26th of the 39 practices in Norwich with 50 or more responses. 68% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 8 points lower than in 2025 (85%). 114 patients answered the survey (response rate 19%).
| Survey question | Wensum Valley Medical Practice West Earlham Health Centre | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 77% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 68% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 56% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 39% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 93% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 71% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 46% | 74% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 85% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 91% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 96% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 93% | 92% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Wensum Valley Medical Practice West Earlham Health Centre is Requires Improvement, published in December 2022. 2 key questions are rated differently: Caring Good and Responsive Good. Its previous overall rating was Inadequate (April 2022).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Requires Improvement |
| Well-led | Requires Improvement |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Requires Improvement |
12,981 patients were registered at Wensum Valley Medical Practice West Earlham Health Centre in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
12% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 6.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,907 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Norfolk and Suffolk's 2,133. The practice also has 4.8 nurses and 3.8 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 5.2 | 5.2 |
| August 2024 | 4.4 | 5.2 |
| August 2025 | 6.9 | 8.6 |
| August 2026 | 6.8 | 9.2 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,160 appointments a month, or 398 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 71% were face to face (England: 63%). 32% took place on the day they were booked and 16% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
38% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 6% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Wensum Valley Medical Practice West Earlham Health Centre | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 398 | 578 | 510 |
| Face to face | 71% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 32% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 16% | 8% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 6% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for a learning disability (1.2% against 0.6%), COPD (2.8% against 1.9%) and epilepsy (1.1% against 0.8%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.1% against 1.2%), dementia (0.3% against 0.8%) and palliative or supportive care needs (0.2% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 35.9 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 81.2 years for women and 76.8 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 15.4% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 11.0% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.5% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.9% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.0% | 4.6% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.8% | 1.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 2.3% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.2% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.5% | 1.9% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.4% | 1.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.3% | 2.2% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 1.2% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.6% | 1.1% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.3% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.1% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 64.3% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 62.4% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 58.8% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 65.9% | 74.9% |
Wensum Valley Medical Practice West Earlham Health Centre, West Earlham Health Centre, West Earlham, Norwich, NR5 8AD. Phone: 01603 250660. Website: www.wensumvalleymedicalpractice.nhs.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| UEA Medical Centre | 1.0 km | 84% |
| Trinity and Bowthorpe Medical Practice | 1.7 km | 69% |
| Beechcroft Surgery | 2.2 km | 87% |
| West Pottergate Medical Practice | 2.7 km | 87% |
| Roundwell Medical Centre | 3.1 km | 70% |
- Beechcroft Surgery (87% overall experience good)
- Roundwell Medical Centre (70% overall experience good)
- Taverham Surgery (70% overall experience good)
- Trinity and Bowthorpe Medical Practice (69% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Wensum Valley Medical Practice West Earlham Health Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 77% of patients described their overall experience of Wensum Valley Medical Practice West Earlham Health Centre as good, against 77% across England. 68% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Wensum Valley Medical Practice West Earlham Health Centre?
12,981 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.3% on a year earlier.
What is Wensum Valley Medical Practice West Earlham Health Centre's CQC rating?
Requires Improvement overall, published in December 2022.
How many GPs does Wensum Valley Medical Practice West Earlham Health Centre have?
6.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (10 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,907 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Wensum Valley Medical Practice West Earlham Health Centre face to face?
71% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Wensum Valley Medical Practice West Earlham Health Centre's phone number?
01603 250660.