Combs Ford Surgery, Stowmarket: patient reviews and CQC rating
Combs Ford Surgery is a GP practice in Stowmarket with 9,231 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 73% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Norfolk and Suffolk: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in December 2022. It has 3.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 3,112 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Combs Ford Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 82%, above the England figure of 58%. Its weakest is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 89%, against 93% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 2 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 9 within it.
On overall experience it is 4th of the 4 practices in Stowmarket with 50 or more responses. 63% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is unchanged from 2025 (73%). 127 patients answered the survey (response rate 42%).
| Survey question | Combs Ford Surgery | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 73% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 63% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 82% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 67% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 84% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 74% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 79% | 74% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 84% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 84% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 89% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 90% | 92% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Combs Ford Surgery is Good, published in December 2022. One key question is rated differently: Well-led Outstanding. It held the same rating in the report before (September 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Outstanding |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
9,231 patients were registered at Combs Ford Surgery in September 2026, down 1.4% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
24% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 3,112 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Norfolk and Suffolk's 2,133. The practice also has 4.5 nurses and 6.9 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.8 | 3.8 |
| August 2024 | 3.4 | 4.5 |
| August 2025 | 3.3 | 5.5 |
| August 2026 | 3.0 | 5.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 4,295 appointments a month, or 465 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 66% were face to face (England: 63%). 42% took place on the day they were booked and 14% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
13% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 6% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Combs Ford Surgery | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 465 | 578 | 510 |
| Face to face | 66% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 42% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 14% | 8% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 6% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for dementia (1.2% against 0.8%), a learning disability (0.9% against 0.6%) and chronic kidney disease (6.5% against 4.6%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.3% against 1.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 17.4 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.9 years for women and 79.7 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 18.8% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 11.7% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.3% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.0% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.5% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.2% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.5% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.6% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.4% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.2% | 1.0% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.3% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 74.6% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 84.1% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 73.8% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 75.4% | 74.9% |
99% of the practice's patients live in the IP14 postcode district. 100% live in Mid Suffolk, the council area the practice is in.
| Postcode district | Registered patients | Share |
|---|---|---|
| IP14 | 9,147 | 99% |
Combs Ford Surgery, Combs Lane, Stowmarket, IP14 2SY. Phone: 01449 678333.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Stowhealth | 1.6 km | 93% |
| Needham Market Country Practice | 5.5 km | 55% |
| Woolpit Health Centre | 8.5 km | 71% |
| Mendlesham Medical Group | 9.9 km | 86% |
| Bildeston Health Centre | 10.3 km | 95% |
- Debenham Group Practice (88% overall experience good)
- Eye Health Centre (73% overall experience good)
- Framlingham Surgery (69% overall experience good)
- Fressingfield Medical Centre (96% overall experience good)
- Haven Health Medical Centre (95% overall experience good)
- Howard House Surgery (80% overall experience good)
- Mendlesham Medical Group (86% overall experience good)
- Stowhealth (93% overall experience good)
- The Derby Road Practice (82% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Combs Ford Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 73% of patients described their overall experience of Combs Ford Surgery as good, against 77% across England. 63% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Combs Ford Surgery?
9,231 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.4% on a year earlier.
What is Combs Ford Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in December 2022.
How many GPs does Combs Ford Surgery have?
3.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 3,112 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Combs Ford Surgery face to face?
66% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Combs Ford Surgery's phone number?
01449 678333.