The Bucklebury Practice, Reading: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Bucklebury Practice is a GP practice in Reading with 8,858 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 90% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Thames Valley: 76%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in August 2016. It has 5.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,574 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Bucklebury Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 88%, above the England figure of 58%. Its result closest to England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 71%, against 69% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 10 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 1 within it.
On overall experience it is 4th of the 31 practices in Reading with 50 or more responses. 87% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 6 points lower than in 2025 (96%). 112 patients answered the survey (response rate 36%).
| Survey question | The Bucklebury Practice | Thames Valley | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 90% | 76% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 87% | 56% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 88% | 57% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 72% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 96% | 84% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 88% | 72% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 71% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 96% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 96% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 98% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 98% | 90% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for The Bucklebury Practice is Good, published in August 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
8,858 patients were registered at The Bucklebury Practice in September 2026, down 1.2% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
22% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 5.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,574 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Thames Valley's 2,121. The practice also has 2.8 nurses and 2.1 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| August 2024 | 5.4 | 6.5 |
| August 2025 | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| August 2026 | 5.6 | 5.6 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 4,088 appointments a month, or 461 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 85% were face to face (England: 63%). 41% took place on the day they were booked and 6% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
66% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 2% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Bucklebury Practice | Thames Valley | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 461 | 451 | 510 |
| Face to face | 85% | 60% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 41% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 6% | 4% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for cancer (5.1% against 3.8%) and chronic kidney disease (5.8% against 4.6%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.3% against 1.2%), palliative or supportive care needs (0.2% against 0.6%) and a learning disability (0.3% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 11.0 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 87.2 years for women and 82.9 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 15.9% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.7% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.6% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 5.9% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.8% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.1% | 3.8% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.7% | 2.2% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.6% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.4% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.0% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.8% | 1.1% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.6% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.3% | 1.2% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 78.4% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 81.4% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 74.8% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 78.1% | 74.9% |
The Bucklebury Practice, Chapel Row Surgery, The Avenue, Bucklebury, Reading, RG7 6NS. Phone: 0118 971 3252. Website: www.crsurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Burdwood Surgery | 6.1 km | 85% |
| Theale Medical Centre | 6.4 km | 82% |
| Thatcham Health Centre | 6.8 km | 80% |
| Tadley Medical Partnership | 7.9 km | 86% |
| Mortimer Surgery | 8.9 km | 84% |
- Mortimer Surgery (84% overall experience good)
- The Boat House Surgery (92% overall experience good)
- Theale Medical Centre (82% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Bucklebury Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 90% of patients described their overall experience of The Bucklebury Practice as good, above the England figure of 77%. 87% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Bucklebury Practice?
8,858 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.2% on a year earlier.
What is The Bucklebury Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in August 2016.
How many GPs does The Bucklebury Practice have?
5.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (9 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,574 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Bucklebury Practice face to face?
85% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Bucklebury Practice's phone number?
0118 971 3252.