Plowright Medical Centre, Swaffham: patient reviews and CQC rating
Plowright Medical Centre is a GP practice in Swaffham with 7,062 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 November 2017. It has 3.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,323 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Plowright Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 90%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 45%, against 54% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 6 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 5 within it.
On overall experience it is 1st of the 3 practices in Swaffham with 50 or more responses. 90% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 1 point lower than in 2025 (89%). 123 patients answered the survey (response rate 43%).
| Survey question | Plowright Medical Centre | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 88% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 90% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 70% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 45% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 97% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 86% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 79% | 74% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 92% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 86% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 93% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 93% | 92% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 95% of 165 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Plowright Medical Centre is Good, published in November 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
7,062 patients were registered at Plowright Medical Centre in September 2026, up 3.5% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
32% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,323 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Norfolk and Suffolk's 2,133. The practice also has 2.0 nurses and 5.7 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| August 2024 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| August 2025 | 2.8 | 2.8 |
| August 2026 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,698 appointments a month, or 524 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 67% were face to face (England: 63%). 33% took place on the day they were booked and 12% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
31% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 2% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Plowright Medical Centre | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 524 | 578 | 510 |
| Face to face | 67% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 33% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 12% | 8% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for palliative or supportive care needs (1.9% against 0.6%), osteoporosis (2.5% against 1.2%) and chronic kidney disease (9.2% against 4.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 22.6 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.1 years for women and 80.4 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 23.4% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 15.4% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 12.3% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 9.2% | 4.6% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 9.1% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.4% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.9% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.6% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.0% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 2.5% | 1.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.5% | 1.9% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 1.9% | 0.6% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.8% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 76.2% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 83.9% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 78.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 80.3% | 74.9% |
Plowright Medical Centre, 1 Jack Boddy Way, Swaffham, PE37 7HJ. Phone: 01760 722797. Website: www.plowrightmedicalcentre.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Manor Farm Medical Centre | 0.8 km | 75% |
| Campingland Surgery | 1.0 km | 79% |
| Litcham Health Centre | 10.2 km | 73% |
| Watton Medical Practice | 13.3 km | 63% |
| Great Massingham Surgery | 13.8 km | 88% |
- Bridge Street Surgery (78% overall experience good)
- Campingland Surgery (79% overall experience good)
- Howdale Group Practice (85% overall experience good)
- Litcham Health Centre (73% overall experience good)
- Manor Farm Medical Centre (75% overall experience good)
- The Hollies Surgery (71% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Plowright Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 88% of patients described their overall experience of Plowright Medical Centre as good, above the England figure of 77%. 90% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Plowright Medical Centre?
7,062 patients were registered in September 2026, up 3.5% on a year earlier.
What is Plowright Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in November 2017.
How many GPs does Plowright Medical Centre have?
3.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (5 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,323 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Plowright Medical Centre face to face?
67% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Plowright Medical Centre's phone number?
01760 722797.