Debenham Group Practice, Stowmarket: patient reviews and CQC rating
Debenham Group Practice is a GP practice in Stowmarket with 10,071 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% (Norfolk and Suffolk: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in December 2022. It has 5.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,942 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Debenham Group Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 85%, above the England figure of 58%. Its result closest to England is the share who found the reception and administrative team helpful: 87%, against 85% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 8 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 3 within it.
On overall experience it is 2nd of the 4 practices in Stowmarket with 50 or more responses. 81% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points lower than in 2025 (90%). 117 patients answered the survey (response rate 44%).
| Survey question | Debenham Group Practice | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 88% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 81% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 85% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 75% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 87% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 89% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 91% | 74% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 95% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 98% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 97% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 95% | 92% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 88% of 229 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Debenham Group Practice is Good, published in December 2022. One key question is rated differently: Well-led Outstanding. It held the same rating in the report before (June 2017).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Outstanding |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
10,071 patients were registered at Debenham Group Practice in September 2026, up 1.1% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
29% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 5.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,942 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Norfolk and Suffolk's 2,133. The practice also has 4.2 nurses and 9.5 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 5.0 | 7.1 |
| August 2024 | 5.0 | 7.1 |
| August 2025 | 5.7 | 7.8 |
| August 2026 | 5.2 | 8.4 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 4,883 appointments a month, or 485 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 63% were face to face (England: 63%). 38% took place on the day they were booked and 16% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
18% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Debenham Group Practice | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 485 | 578 | 510 |
| Face to face | 63% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 38% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 16% | 8% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for chronic kidney disease (8.0% against 4.6%), palliative or supportive care needs (0.8% against 0.6%) and cancer (5.6% against 3.8%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.6% against 1.2%) and COPD (1.3% against 1.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 13.5 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 86.7 years for women and 82.8 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 18.2% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 12.1% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 9.2% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 8.0% | 4.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.9% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.6% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.6% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.1% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.5% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.3% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.6% | 1.2% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 82.1% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 85.6% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 79.1% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 83.7% | 74.9% |
Debenham Group Practice, 20 Low Road, Debenham, Stowmarket, IP14 6QU. Phone: 01728 860248.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Mendlesham Medical Group | 7.5 km | 86% |
| Framlingham Surgery | 10.5 km | 69% |
| Eye Health Centre | 11.5 km | 73% |
| Needham Market Country Practice | 12.1 km | 55% |
| Stowhealth | 13.3 km | 93% |
- Combs Ford Surgery (73% 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 Debenham Group Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 88% of patients described their overall experience of Debenham Group Practice as good, above the England figure of 77%. 81% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Debenham Group Practice?
10,071 patients were registered in September 2026, up 1.1% on a year earlier.
What is Debenham Group Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in December 2022.
How many GPs does Debenham Group Practice have?
5.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (8 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,942 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Debenham Group Practice face to face?
63% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Debenham Group Practice's phone number?
01728 860248.