Hertford and Rurals PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Hertford and Rurals PCN is a primary care network of 4 GP practices with 51,860 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 74% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England. Its practices have 2,601 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 4 practices in Hertford and Rurals PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 67% at Lea Wharf Medical to 87% at Hanscombe House Surgery, with a median of 78% (England: 77%). 1 is above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Watton Place Clinic has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (89%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hanscombe House Surgery | 11,623 | 87% | 47% | Good | 2,401 |
| Watton Place Clinic | 5,190 | 83% | 89% | Good | 2,630 |
| New River Health | 16,818 | 74% | 42% | Good | 2,883 |
| Lea Wharf Medical | 18,229 | 67% | 41% | Good | 2,499 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 575 responses, against Central East and England.
| Survey question | Hertford and Rurals PCN | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 74% | 75% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 51% | 52% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 58% | 60% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 50% | 52% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 85% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 68% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 64% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 85% | 86% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 85% | 85% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 93% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 90% | 89% | 90% |
There are 2,601 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Hertford and Rurals PCN, more than England's 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. Practices recorded 456 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 73% of them face to face. 55% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
19% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 1.4% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Hertford and Rurals PCN | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 2,601 | 2,348 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 456 | 521 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 73% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 55% | 48% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 4% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 19% | 17% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Hertford and Rurals PCN is palliative care (0.8% against 0.6%), and the furthest below is copd (1.2% against 1.9%).
| Condition register | Age group | Hertford and Rurals PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.7% | 15.2% | 7,740 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 12.0% | 14.3% | 5,051 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.9% | 6.6% | 3,404 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 5.8% | 7.9% | 2,463 |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.1% | 3.8% | 2,185 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.1% | 4.6% | 1,321 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.5% | 3.0% | 1,298 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.4% | 2.2% | 1,276 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.7% | 1.9% | 916 |
| COPD | All ages | 1.2% | 1.9% | 655 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.2% | 1.2% | 243 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.8% | 1.1% | 439 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% | 429 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 340 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 402 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% | 306 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% | 371 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% | 254 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% | 194 |
- Cam Medical PCN (3 practices)
- Cambridge City 4 PCN (6 practices)
- Cambridge City PCN (6 practices)
- Huntingdon PCN (3 practices)
- Meridian PCN (6 practices)
- Stort Valley & Villages PCN (5 practices)
- Ware and Rurals PCN (2 practices)
- Wisbech PCN (4 practices)
Which practices are in Hertford and Rurals PCN?
Hanscombe House Surgery, Lea Wharf Medical, New River Health and Watton Place Clinic.
How do patients rate Hertford and Rurals PCN?
74% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, against 77% across England.
How many patients does Hertford and Rurals PCN cover?
51,860 registered patients across 4 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Hertford and Rurals PCN have?
2,601 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.