Bridgewater Surgeries, Watford: patient reviews and CQC rating
Bridgewater Surgeries is a GP practice in Watford with 36,819 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 91% 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 August 2022. It has 14.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,476 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Bridgewater Surgeries
Its best result against England is the share who described their last contact with the practice as good: 87%, above the England figure of 73%. Its result closest to England is the share who said their needs were met at their last appointment: 94%, 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 8 practices in Watford with 50 or more responses. 65% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 1 point higher than in 2025 (90%). 189 patients answered the survey (response rate 24%).
| Survey question | Bridgewater Surgeries | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 91% | 75% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 65% | 52% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 68% | 60% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 67% | 52% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 94% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 87% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 82% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 92% | 86% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 92% | 85% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 98% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 94% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 95% of 1,596 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Bridgewater Surgeries is Good, published in August 2022. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (January 2020).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
36,819 patients were registered at Bridgewater Surgeries in September 2026, up 2.2% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
13% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 14.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,476 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. The practice also has 4.5 nurses and 16.2 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 15.3 | 29.2 |
| August 2024 | 14.2 | 33.8 |
| August 2025 | 15.4 | 28.3 |
| August 2026 | 14.9 | 30.6 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 26,063 appointments a month, or 708 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 55% were face to face (England: 63%). 50% took place on the day they were booked and 9% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
72% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Bridgewater Surgeries | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 708 | 521 | 510 |
| Face to face | 55% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 50% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 9% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a lower share of patients for COPD (0.9% against 1.9%), osteoporosis (0.7% against 1.2%) and heart failure (0.7% against 1.1%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 16.8 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.3 years for women and 78.8 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 12.7% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 11.2% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.3% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.0% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.3% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 2.6% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.3% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.6% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.4% | 1.9% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| COPD | All ages | 0.9% | 1.9% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.7% | 1.2% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.7% | 1.1% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 71.4% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 76.2% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 71.7% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 79.1% | 74.9% |
Bridgewater Surgeries, 7 Printers Avenue, Watford, WD18 7QR. Phone: 01923 202600. Website: www.bridgewatersurgeries.nhs.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Upton Road Surgery | 1.6 km | 71% |
| The Elms Surgery | 1.7 km | 83% |
| New Road Surgery | 1.7 km | 79% |
| Suthergrey House Medical Centre | 1.9 km | 68% |
| Manor View Practice | 3.4 km | 79% |
How do patients rate Bridgewater Surgeries?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 91% of patients described their overall experience of Bridgewater Surgeries as good, above the England figure of 77%. 65% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Bridgewater Surgeries?
36,819 patients were registered in September 2026, up 2.2% on a year earlier.
What is Bridgewater Surgeries's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in August 2022.
How many GPs does Bridgewater Surgeries have?
14.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (22 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,476 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Bridgewater Surgeries face to face?
55% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Bridgewater Surgeries's phone number?
01923 202600.