Verulam Medical Group, St Albans: patient reviews and CQC rating
Verulam Medical Group is a GP practice in St Albans with 7,142 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 88% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Central East: 75%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in November 2016. It has 2.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 3,348 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Verulam Medical Group
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 84%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 47%, against 54% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 7 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 4 within it.
On overall experience it is 2nd of the 9 practices in St Albans with 50 or more responses. 84% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 21 points higher than in 2025 (67%). 106 patients answered the survey (response rate 22%).
| Survey question | Verulam Medical Group | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 88% | 75% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 84% | 52% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 63% | 60% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 47% | 52% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 97% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 86% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 88% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 94% | 86% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 86% | 85% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 98% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 91% | 89% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Verulam Medical Group is Good, published in November 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
7,142 patients were registered at Verulam Medical Group in September 2026, down 1.3% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
14% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 3,348 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. The practice also has 1.0 nurses (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.2 | 3.2 |
| August 2024 | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| August 2025 | 2.1 | 2.1 |
| August 2026 | 2.1 | 2.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,078 appointments a month, or 291 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 83% were face to face (England: 63%). 60% took place on the day they were booked and 2% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
62% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Verulam Medical Group | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 291 | 521 | 510 |
| Face to face | 83% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 60% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 2% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a lower share of patients for osteoporosis (0.1% against 1.2%), chronic kidney disease (1.6% against 4.6%) and peripheral arterial disease (0.2% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 16.3 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.9 years for women and 80.3 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 12.2% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 11.3% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.3% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 4.4% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 2.7% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 1.8% | 3.0% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 1.6% | 4.6% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.4% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.0% | 1.9% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 0.9% | 1.9% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.4% | 1.1% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.3% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.1% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 66.3% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 67.5% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 67.2% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 72.0% | 74.9% |
Verulam Medical Group, Colney Medical Centre, 45-47 Kings Road, London Colney, St Albans, AL2 1ES. Phone: 01727 822138.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Summerfield health centre | 0.3 km | 72% |
| Hatfield Road Surgery | 3.0 km | 57% |
| Midway GP Partnership | 3.8 km | 79% |
| The Maltings Surgery | 3.9 km | 81% |
| Parkbury House Surgery | 4.2 km | 85% |
- Dr Khalid Mirza (58% overall experience good)
- Grovehill Medical Centre (86% overall experience good)
- Hatfield Road Surgery (57% overall experience good)
- South Oxhey Surgery (82% overall experience good)
- The Consulting Rooms (73% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Verulam Medical Group?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 88% of patients described their overall experience of Verulam Medical Group as good, above the England figure of 77%. 84% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Verulam Medical Group?
7,142 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.3% on a year earlier.
What is Verulam Medical Group's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in November 2016.
How many GPs does Verulam Medical Group have?
2.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (2 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 3,348 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Verulam Medical Group face to face?
83% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Verulam Medical Group's phone number?
01727 822138.