Dolphin House Surgery, Ware: patient reviews and CQC rating
Dolphin House Surgery is a GP practice in Ware with 16,760 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 89% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Central East: 75%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in March 2016. It has 7.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,213 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Dolphin House Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 90%, above the England figure of 69%. Its result closest to England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 62%, against 58% 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 Ware with 50 or more responses. 73% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 3 points higher than in 2025 (86%). 103 patients answered the survey (response rate 31%).
| Survey question | Dolphin House Surgery | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 89% | 75% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 73% | 52% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 62% | 60% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 64% | 52% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 95% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 77% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 90% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 95% | 86% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 95% | 85% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 98% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 96% | 89% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Dolphin House Surgery is Good, published in March 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
16,760 patients were registered at Dolphin House Surgery in September 2026, up 0.7% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
19% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 7.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,213 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. The practice also has 4.5 nurses and 1.4 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 7.9 | 12.3 |
| August 2024 | 7.3 | 9.4 |
| August 2025 | 7.2 | 12.1 |
| August 2026 | 7.6 | 11.8 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 7,533 appointments a month, or 449 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 62% were face to face (England: 63%). 57% took place on the day they were booked and 5% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
42% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Dolphin House Surgery | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 449 | 521 | 510 |
| Face to face | 62% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 57% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 5% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for palliative or supportive care needs (1.8% against 0.6%). It has a lower share for COPD (1.3% against 1.9%) and serious mental illness (0.8% against 1.0%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 10.3 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.3 years for women and 80.3 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.8% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.1% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.7% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.6% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.9% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.8% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.1% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.6% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 1.8% | 0.6% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.3% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.9% | 1.2% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 76.3% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 77.7% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 78.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 77.6% | 74.9% |
99% of the practice's patients live in the SG12 postcode district. 99% live in East Hertfordshire, the council area the practice is in.
| Postcode district | Registered patients | Share |
|---|---|---|
| SG12 | 16,422 | 99% |
Dolphin House Surgery, Burgage Lane, Ware, SG12 9FT. Phone: 01920 468777. Website: www.dolphinhousesurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| New River Health | 0.3 km | 74% |
| Lea Wharf Medical | 3.6 km | 67% |
| Hailey View Surgery | 3.9 km | 74% |
| Hanscombe House Surgery | 3.9 km | 87% |
| Amwell Surgery | 5.8 km | 88% |
- The Puckeridge Surgery (89% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Dolphin House Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 89% of patients described their overall experience of Dolphin House Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 73% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Dolphin House Surgery?
16,760 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.7% on a year earlier.
What is Dolphin House Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in March 2016.
How many GPs does Dolphin House Surgery have?
7.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (10 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,213 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Dolphin House Surgery face to face?
62% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Dolphin House Surgery's phone number?
01920 468777.