The Gold Street Surgery, Saffron Walden: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Gold Street Surgery is a GP practice in Saffron Walden with 11,038 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 80% 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 June 2016. It has 6.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,734 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Gold Street Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 80%, above the England figure of 69%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 41%, below the England figure of 58%. Of the 11 results in the table, 3 are above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 7 within it.
On overall experience it is 2nd of the 3 practices in Saffron Walden with 50 or more responses. 52% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 10 points higher than in 2025 (70%). 101 patients answered the survey (response rate 34%).
| Survey question | The Gold Street Surgery | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 80% | 74% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 52% | 50% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 41% | 56% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 46% | 51% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 93% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 78% | 70% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 80% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 95% | 84% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 91% | 83% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 97% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 93% | 89% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for The Gold Street Surgery is Good, published in June 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
11,038 patients were registered at The Gold Street Surgery in September 2026, down 0.8% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
24% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 6.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,734 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Essex's 2,514. The practice also has 2.7 nurses and 3.6 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 5.9 | 9.1 |
| August 2024 | 6.4 | 7.4 |
| August 2025 | 6.4 | 8.5 |
| August 2026 | 6.4 | 9.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 4,213 appointments a month, or 382 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 67% were face to face (England: 63%). 31% took place on the day they were booked and 7% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
45% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Gold Street Surgery | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 382 | 480 | 510 |
| Face to face | 67% | 69% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 31% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 7% | 5% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for palliative or supportive care needs (1.4% against 0.6%), osteoporosis (2.0% against 1.2%) and dementia (1.1% against 0.8%). It has a lower share for chronic kidney disease (3.4% against 4.6%) and diabetes (6.2% against 7.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 8.0 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 86.1 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 | 15.4% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.2% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.5% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.2% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.1% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.4% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.2% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.0% | 2.2% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 2.0% | 1.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.5% | 1.9% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 1.4% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 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 | 78.4% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 69.6% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 74.9% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 78.5% | 74.9% |
The Gold Street Surgery, Gold Street, Saffron Walden, CB10 1EJ. Phone: 01799 525325. Website: www.thegoldstreetsurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Crocus Medical Practice | 1.1 km | 85% |
| Newport Surgery | 4.8 km | 77% |
| Thaxted Surgery | 10.2 km | 97% |
| Granta Medical Practices | 11.5 km | 74% |
| Peacock Surgery | 13.6 km | 85% |
- Crocus Medical Practice (85% overall experience good)
- Newport Surgery (77% overall experience good)
- Thaxted Surgery (97% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Gold Street Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 80% of patients described their overall experience of The Gold Street Surgery as good, against 77% across England. 52% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Gold Street Surgery?
11,038 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.8% on a year earlier.
What is The Gold Street Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in June 2016.
How many GPs does The Gold Street Surgery have?
6.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (8 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,734 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Gold Street Surgery face to face?
67% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Gold Street Surgery's phone number?
01799 525325.