Central Watford PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Central Watford PCN is a primary care network of 3 GP practices with 35,011 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 73% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England. Its practices have 2,371 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 3 practices in Central Watford PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 68% at Suthergrey House Medical Centre to 83% at The Elms Surgery, with a median of 71% (England: 77%). 0 are above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error. The Elms Surgery has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (86%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Elms Surgery | 8,673 | 83% | 86% | Requires improvement | 4,879 |
| Upton Road Surgery | 17,979 | 71% | 44% | Good | 2,447 |
| Suthergrey House Medical Centre | 8,359 | 68% | 45% | Good | 1,482 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 345 responses, against Central East and England.
| Survey question | Central Watford PCN | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 73% | 75% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 54% | 52% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 61% | 60% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 47% | 52% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 80% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 69% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 75% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 83% | 86% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 86% | 85% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 90% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 85% | 89% | 90% |
There are 2,371 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Central Watford PCN, close to England's 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. Practices recorded 407 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 67% of them face to face. 56% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
12% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 5.2% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Central Watford PCN | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 2,371 | 2,348 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 407 | 521 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 67% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 56% | 48% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 4% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 12% | 17% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Central Watford PCN is serious mental illness (1.2% against 1.0%), and the furthest below is chronic kidney disease (2.3% against 4.6%).
| Condition register | Age group | Central Watford PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 12.5% | 15.2% | 4,641 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 10.7% | 14.3% | 3,189 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.8% | 7.9% | 2,369 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 4.7% | 6.6% | 1,635 |
| Cancer | All ages | 2.5% | 3.8% | 918 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.3% | 3.0% | 857 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 2.3% | 4.6% | 681 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.3% | 2.2% | 469 |
| COPD | All ages | 1.3% | 1.9% | 469 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.2% | 1.0% | 441 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.2% | 1.9% | 438 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.7% | 1.1% | 278 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.7% | 1.2% | 71 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% | 213 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.6% | 0.8% | 232 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% | 227 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% | 179 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% | 165 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% | 103 |
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Which practices are in Central Watford PCN?
Suthergrey House Medical Centre, The Elms Surgery and Upton Road Surgery.
How do patients rate Central Watford PCN?
73% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, against 77% across England.
How many patients does Central Watford PCN cover?
35,011 registered patients across 3 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Central Watford PCN have?
2,371 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.