Shipdham Surgery, Thetford: patient reviews and CQC rating
Shipdham Surgery is a GP practice in Thetford with 4,681 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 93% 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 August 2019. It has 2.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,755 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Shipdham Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 93%, above the England figure of 57%. Its result closest to England is the share who said their needs were met at their last appointment: 93%, against 90% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 9 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 2 within it.
On overall experience it is 1st of the 6 practices in Thetford with 50 or more responses. 93% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points lower than in 2025 (95%). 131 patients answered the survey (response rate 50%).
| Survey question | Shipdham Surgery | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 93% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 93% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 92% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 88% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 90% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 92% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 90% | 74% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 95% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 96% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 99% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 93% | 92% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Shipdham Surgery is Good, published in August 2019. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (December 2018).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
4,681 patients were registered at Shipdham Surgery in September 2026, up 3.3% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
30% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,755 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Norfolk and Suffolk's 2,133. The practice also has 1.1 nurses and 1.2 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| August 2024 | 2.7 | 3.3 |
| August 2025 | 2.7 | 3.7 |
| August 2026 | 2.7 | 3.7 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,472 appointments a month, or 528 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 90% were face to face (England: 63%). 46% took place on the day they were booked and 14% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
37% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Shipdham Surgery | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 528 | 578 | 510 |
| Face to face | 90% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 46% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 14% | 8% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for dementia (1.5% against 0.8%), atrial fibrillation (3.8% against 2.2%) and chronic kidney disease (7.2% 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 17.6 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.5 years for women and 81.0 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 23.0% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 17.1% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.1% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.6% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.2% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.2% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.0% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.8% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.4% | 1.9% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.2% | 1.9% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.5% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.3% | 1.2% |
| 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 | 79.9% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 76.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 81.6% | 74.9% |
Shipdham Surgery, The Surgery, Chapel Street, Shipdham, Thetford, IP25 7LA. Phone: 01362 820225.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Orchard Surgery | 6.4 km | 52% |
| Theatre Royal Surgery | 6.9 km | 86% |
| Watton Medical Practice | 7.9 km | 63% |
| Dr Shaun Conway | 8.2 km | 99% |
| Mattishall & Lenwade Surgeries | 10.0 km | 75% |
- Elmham Surgery (72% overall experience good)
- Mattishall & Lenwade Surgeries (75% overall experience good)
- Orchard Surgery (52% overall experience good)
- Theatre Royal Surgery (86% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Shipdham Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 93% of patients described their overall experience of Shipdham Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 93% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Shipdham Surgery?
4,681 patients were registered in September 2026, up 3.3% on a year earlier.
What is Shipdham Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in August 2019.
How many GPs does Shipdham Surgery have?
2.7 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (2 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,755 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Shipdham Surgery face to face?
90% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Shipdham Surgery's phone number?
01362 820225.