Market Square Surgery, Waltham Abbey: patient reviews and CQC rating
Market Square Surgery is a GP practice in Waltham Abbey with 14,726 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 87% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Essex: 74%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in January 2021. It has 8.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,780 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Market Square Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 85%, above the England figure of 57%. 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, 5 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 6 within it.
85% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points higher than in 2025 (85%). 118 patients answered the survey (response rate 24%).
| Survey question | Market Square Surgery | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 87% | 74% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 85% | 50% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 72% | 56% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 77% | 51% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 90% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 82% | 70% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 82% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 87% | 84% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 87% | 83% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 89% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 90% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 89% of 28 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Market Square Surgery is Good, published in January 2021. All 5 key questions are rated Good. Its previous overall rating was Requires Improvement (December 2019).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
14,726 patients were registered at Market Square Surgery in September 2026, down 0.5% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
18% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 8.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,780 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Essex's 2,514. The practice also has 0.5 nurses and 1.3 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 8.6 | 8.6 |
| August 2024 | 7.7 | 8.8 |
| August 2025 | 7.6 | 9.7 |
| August 2026 | 8.3 | 8.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 7,943 appointments a month, or 539 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 56% were face to face (England: 63%). 55% took place on the day they were booked and 0% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
44% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Market Square Surgery | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 539 | 480 | 510 |
| Face to face | 56% | 69% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 55% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 0% | 5% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for dementia (1.1% against 0.8%). It has a lower share for a learning disability (0.3% against 0.6%), palliative or supportive care needs (0.3% against 0.6%) and osteoporosis (0.6% against 1.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 21.2 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 82.6 years for women and 78.0 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 15.7% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 11.0% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.7% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.4% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.0% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.0% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.9% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.7% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.6% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.2% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.6% | 1.2% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 67.6% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 66.9% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 76.8% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 78.5% | 74.9% |
Market Square Surgery, 13 Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey, EN9 1NP. Phone: 01992 260002. Website: www.marketsquaresurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Maynard Court Surgery | 1.3 km | 90% |
| Abbey Road Surgery | 2.2 km | 74% |
| Stanhope Surgery | 2.4 km | 55% |
| Warden Lodge Medical Practice | 3.1 km | 69% |
| Ordnance Unity Centre for Health | 3.2 km | 77% |
- Dr. D. Colvin & Dr. O. B. Isinkaye (79% overall experience good)
- Maynard Court Surgery (90% overall experience good)
- Ongar War Memorial Medical Centre (72% overall experience good)
- The High Street Surgery (81% overall experience good)
- The Limes Medical Centre (49% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Market Square Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 87% of patients described their overall experience of Market Square Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 85% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Market Square Surgery?
14,726 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.5% on a year earlier.
What is Market Square Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in January 2021.
How many GPs does Market Square Surgery have?
8.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (12 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,780 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Market Square Surgery face to face?
56% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Market Square Surgery's phone number?
01992 260002.