Crocus Medical Practice, Saffron Walden: patient reviews and CQC rating
Crocus Medical Practice is a GP practice in Saffron Walden with 12,694 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 85% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Essex: 74%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in April 2018. It has 6.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,092 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Crocus Medical Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 74%, above the England figure of 58%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 45%, against 54% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 1 is above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 10 within it.
On overall experience it is 1st of the 3 practices in Saffron Walden with 50 or more responses. 53% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 12 points higher than in 2025 (73%). 98 patients answered the survey (response rate 31%).
| Survey question | Crocus Medical Practice | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 85% | 74% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 53% | 50% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 74% | 56% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 45% | 51% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 91% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 81% | 70% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 68% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 93% | 84% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 93% | 83% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 95% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 93% of 312 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Crocus Medical Practice is Good, published in April 2018. All 5 key questions are rated Good. Its previous overall rating was Requires Improvement (September 2017).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
12,694 patients were registered at Crocus Medical Practice in September 2026, down 0.7% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
21% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 6.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,092 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Essex's 2,514. The practice also has 2.9 nurses and 5.9 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 5.6 | 7.7 |
| August 2024 | 4.9 | 7.9 |
| August 2025 | 5.4 | 8.0 |
| August 2026 | 6.1 | 9.6 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 9,169 appointments a month, or 722 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 73% were face to face (England: 63%). 68% took place on the day they were booked and 4% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
48% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 1% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Crocus Medical Practice | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 722 | 480 | 510 |
| Face to face | 73% | 69% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 68% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 4% | 5% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 1% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for palliative or supportive care needs (1.0% against 0.6%), dementia (1.1% against 0.8%) and atrial fibrillation (2.9% against 2.2%). It has a lower share for diabetes (5.3% against 7.9%) and chronic kidney disease (3.2% against 4.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 8.1 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 86.1 years for women and 83.0 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.3% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.0% | 15.2% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.4% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 5.3% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.4% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.2% | 4.6% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.9% | 2.2% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.9% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.8% | 1.2% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 75.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 69.8% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 76.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 78.3% | 74.9% |
Crocus Medical Practice, Radwinter Road, Saffron Walden, CB11 3HY. Phone: 01799 522327.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Gold Street Surgery | 1.1 km | 80% |
| Newport Surgery | 5.6 km | 77% |
| Thaxted Surgery | 9.7 km | 97% |
| Granta Medical Practices | 11.8 km | 74% |
| Unity Healthcare | 13.1 km | 67% |
- Newport Surgery (77% overall experience good)
- Thaxted Surgery (97% overall experience good)
- The Gold Street Surgery (80% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Crocus Medical Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 85% of patients described their overall experience of Crocus Medical Practice as good, against 77% across England. 53% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Crocus Medical Practice?
12,694 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.7% on a year earlier.
What is Crocus Medical Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in April 2018.
How many GPs does Crocus Medical Practice have?
6.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (9 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,092 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Crocus Medical Practice face to face?
73% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Crocus Medical Practice's phone number?
01799 522327.