Dr Baxter and Partners, Shefford: patient reviews and CQC rating
Dr Baxter and Partners is a GP practice in Shefford with 20,511 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 72% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Central East: 75%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in September 2019. It has 7.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,680 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Dr Baxter and Partners
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 75%, above the England figure of 58%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 49%, against 57% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 2 are above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 8 within it.
49% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points lower than in 2025 (74%). 114 patients answered the survey (response rate 32%).
| Survey question | Dr Baxter and Partners | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 72% | 75% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 49% | 52% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 75% | 60% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 69% | 52% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 88% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 73% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 67% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 86% | 86% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 86% | 85% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 90% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 83% | 89% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Dr Baxter and Partners is Good, published in September 2019. One key question is rated differently: Responsive Requires Improvement. Its previous overall rating was Requires Improvement (May 2019).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Requires Improvement |
| Effective | Good |
20,511 patients were registered at Dr Baxter and Partners in September 2026, up 1.1% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
20% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 7.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,680 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. The practice also has 5.6 nurses and 5.5 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 7.5 | 10.5 |
| August 2024 | 7.1 | 12.7 |
| August 2025 | 7.1 | 12.4 |
| August 2026 | 7.7 | 12.6 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 8,455 appointments a month, or 412 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 69% were face to face (England: 63%). 28% took place on the day they were booked and 8% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
40% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 5% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Dr Baxter and Partners | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 412 | 521 | 510 |
| Face to face | 69% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 28% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 8% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for dementia (1.0% against 0.8%). It has a lower share for heart failure (0.7% against 1.1%), osteoporosis (0.8% against 1.2%) and chronic kidney disease (2.9% against 4.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 11.7 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.7 years for women and 81.2 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.0% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 12.1% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.8% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.9% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.9% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 2.9% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.5% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.5% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.5% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.2% | 1.9% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.8% | 1.2% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.7% | 1.1% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 78.3% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 81.5% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 78.1% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 80.3% | 74.9% |
Dr Baxter and Partners, Robert Lucas Drive, Hitchin Road, Shefford, SG17 5FS. Phone: 01462 818620. Website: www.sheffordhealthcentre.gpsurgery.net.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Drs Carragher, Akhtar & Brindle | 3.2 km | 79% |
| Larksfield Surgery Medical Partnership | 6.2 km | 67% |
| Saffron Health Partnership | 6.7 km | 60% |
| Ivel Medical Centre | 7.3 km | 53% |
| The Nevells Road Surgery | 8.7 km | 66% |
- Drs Carragher, Akhtar & Brindle (79% overall experience good)
- Larksfield Surgery Medical Partnership (67% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Dr Baxter and Partners?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 72% of patients described their overall experience of Dr Baxter and Partners as good, against 77% across England. 49% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Dr Baxter and Partners?
20,511 patients were registered in September 2026, up 1.1% on a year earlier.
What is Dr Baxter and Partners's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in September 2019.
How many GPs does Dr Baxter and Partners have?
7.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (12 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,680 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Dr Baxter and Partners face to face?
69% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Dr Baxter and Partners's phone number?
01462 818620.