Unity (Bedford) PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Unity (Bedford) PCN is a primary care network of 6 GP practices with 52,350 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 2,269 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 6 practices in Unity (Bedford) PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 71% at Goldington Avenue Surgery to 89% at Cobbs Garden Surgery, with a median of 83% (England: 77%). 2 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Harrold Medical Practice 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cobbs Garden Surgery | 8,987 | 89% | 63% | Good | 2,460 |
| Harrold Medical Practice | 6,661 | 84% | 87% | Good | 3,353 |
| Sharnbrook Surgery | 5,935 | 83% | 68% | Good | 1,439 |
| Priory Medical Practice | 7,637 | 82% | 68% | Good | 3,870 |
| Great Barford Surgery | 5,056 | 75% | 63% | Good | 2,107 |
| Goldington Avenue Surgery | 18,074 | 71% | 45% | Good | 2,023 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 738 responses, against Central East and England.
| Survey question | Unity (Bedford) PCN | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 79% | 75% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 62% | 52% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 66% | 60% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 48% | 52% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 87% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 75% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 70% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 89% | 86% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 87% | 85% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 93% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 92% | 89% | 90% |
There are 2,269 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Unity (Bedford) PCN, close to England's 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. Practices recorded 603 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 69% of them face to face. 54% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
23% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 1.3% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Unity (Bedford) PCN | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 2,269 | 2,348 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 603 | 521 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 69% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 54% | 48% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 4% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 23% | 17% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Unity (Bedford) PCN is cancer (4.7% against 3.8%), and the furthest below is learning disability (0.4% against 0.6%).
| Condition register | Age group | Unity (Bedford) PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 17.3% | 15.2% | 9,147 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 13.6% | 14.3% | 5,829 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.4% | 7.9% | 3,213 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.2% | 6.6% | 3,604 |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.7% | 3.8% | 2,478 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.3% | 4.6% | 1,831 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.1% | 3.0% | 1,660 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.8% | 2.2% | 1,459 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.9% | 1.9% | 1,021 |
| COPD | All ages | 1.5% | 1.9% | 797 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.2% | 1.2% | 279 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.1% | 1.1% | 606 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.0% | 1.0% | 506 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.9% | 0.8% | 500 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 383 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 348 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% | 282 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% | 263 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% | 234 |
- Ascent PCN (3 practices)
- Caritas Medical PCN (4 practices)
- Crown PCN (2 practices)
- East Bedford PCN (3 practices)
- East Mk PCN (4 practices)
- Nexus Mk PCN (5 practices)
- Onemk PCN (2 practices)
- South West PCN (4 practices)
Which practices are in Unity (Bedford) PCN?
Cobbs Garden Surgery, Goldington Avenue Surgery, Great Barford Surgery, Harrold Medical Practice, Priory Medical Practice and Sharnbrook Surgery.
How do patients rate Unity (Bedford) PCN?
79% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, against 77% across England.
How many patients does Unity (Bedford) PCN cover?
52,350 registered patients across 6 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Unity (Bedford) PCN have?
2,269 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.