North Watford PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
North Watford PCN is a primary care network of 3 GP practices with 25,439 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 79% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England. Its practices have 2,816 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 3 practices in North Watford PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 75% at Sheepcot Medical Centre to 85% at Abbotswood Medical Centre, with a median of 82% (England: 77%). 1 is above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Abbotswood Medical Centre has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (87%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbotswood Medical Centre | 4,984 | 85% | 87% | Good | 13,105 |
| The Vine House Health Centre | 10,352 | 82% | 50% | Good | 2,479 |
| Sheepcot Medical Centre | 10,103 | 75% | 50% | – | 2,256 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 342 responses, against Central East and England.
| Survey question | North Watford PCN | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 79% | 75% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 57% | 52% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 72% | 60% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 69% | 52% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 87% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 79% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 75% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 89% | 86% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 85% | 85% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 93% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 92% | 89% | 90% |
There are 2,816 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in North Watford PCN, more than England's 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. Practices recorded 434 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 86% of them face to face. 44% 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 3.2% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | North Watford PCN | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 2,816 | 2,348 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 434 | 521 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 86% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 44% | 48% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 4% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 19% | 17% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in North Watford PCN is rheumatoid arthritis (0.9% against 0.8%), and the furthest below is palliative care (0.4% against 0.6%).
| Condition register | Age group | North Watford PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 16.7% | 15.2% | 4,382 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.0% | 14.3% | 2,903 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.3% | 7.9% | 1,750 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.7% | 6.6% | 1,666 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.2% | 4.6% | 1,086 |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.1% | 3.8% | 1,069 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.0% | 3.0% | 800 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.1% | 2.2% | 561 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.8% | 1.9% | 463 |
| COPD | All ages | 1.7% | 1.9% | 451 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.1% | 1.2% | 118 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.0% | 1.1% | 274 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 194 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% | 231 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% | 147 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% | 176 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 175 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% | 125 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% | 101 |
- Alliance PCN (6 practices)
- Cam Medical PCN (3 practices)
- Cambridge City 4 PCN (6 practices)
- Cambridge City PCN (6 practices)
- Grand Union PCN (2 practices)
- Meridian PCN (6 practices)
- Rickmansworth & Chorleywood PCN (2 practices)
- Wisbech PCN (4 practices)
Which practices are in North Watford PCN?
Abbotswood Medical Centre, Sheepcot Medical Centre and The Vine House Health Centre.
How do patients rate North Watford PCN?
79% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, against 77% across England.
How many patients does North Watford PCN cover?
25,439 registered patients across 3 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does North Watford PCN have?
2,816 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.