South West Hertfordshire patients are happier, on average, with their doctors’ surgeries than the rest of the UK, a survery has revealed.

The GP Patient Survey by the NHS has revealed how practices in the Herts Valleys CCG area were rated by patients between January and March this year – just weeks before the country went into lockdown because of coronavirus.

The annual survey was handed out to 18,693 residents in the CCG area, which covers Watford, Hertsmere, Three Rivers, St Albans, Harpenden and Dacorum. A total of 6,525 were completed and returned.

It found that practices in South West Herts averaged an 85 per cent positive satisfaction rating, three per cent above the national average of 82 per cent.

The New Surgery in Tring and The Elms Medical Practice in Harpenden came out with the highest overall patient satisfaction rating, with 98 per cent of patients rating them as ‘good’.

The Everest House Surgery in Hemel Hempstead was rated ‘good’ by 96 per cent of patients, while the Baldwins Lane Surgery in Croxley Green, Rickmansworth, achieved a rating of 95 per cent.

Baldwins Lane Surgery recieved an overall rating of 95 per cent

However, only 58 per cent of patients at The Theobald Medical Centre in Borehamwood rated their overall experience as ‘good’, with a further 18 practices in South West Herts below the national average of 82 per cent.

This included: Berkhamsted Group Practice (67 per cent), The Grove Medical Centre (69 per cent), Cassio Surgery (71 per cent), Abbotswood Medical Centre (71 per cent), Lodge, Highfield and Redbourn (72 per cent), Fairbrook Medical Centre (73 per cent), Upton Road Surgery (73 per cent), Suthergrey House Medical Centre (75 per cent), Garston Medical Centre (75 per cent), Bennetts End Surgery (76 per cent), Parkfield Medical Centre (78 per cent), Consulting Rooms (78 per cent), Maltings Surgery (79 per cent), Schopwick Surgery (79 per cent), Woodhall Farm Medical Centre (80 per cent), Pathfinder Practice (80 per cent) and Hatfield Road Surgery (81 per cent), Gossoms End Surgery (81 per cent).

Meanwhile, a total of 68 per cent of residents who completed the survey said their overall experience when making an appointment at surgeries was 'good', higher than the national average of 65 per cent.

And on average 66 per cent of people in the Herts Valleys found it easy to get through to someone from their surgery on the phone, while 90 per cent of patients thought receptionists were helpful.

Below you can see the overall patient satisfaction ratings for Herts Valleys GP practices: 

The New Surgery – 98 per cent

Elms Medical Practice – 98 per cent

Everest House Surgery – 96 per cent

Baldwins Lane Surgery – 95 per cent

Grove Hill Medical Centre – 94 per cent

The Colne Practice – 94 per cent

Bridgewater Surgeries – 93 per cent

Gade Surgery – 93 per cent

Grange Street Surgery – 93 per cent

Archway Surgery – 92 per cent

Lattimore & Village Surgery – 92 per cent

The Red House Group – 91 per cent

Kings Langley Surgery – 91 per cent

Highfield Surgery – 91 per cent

South Oxhey Surgery – 91 per cent

New Road Surgery – 91 per cent

Haverfield Surgery – 90 per cent

The Elms Surgery – 90 per cent

Rothschild House Surgery – 90 per cent

Village Surgery – 89 per cent

Fernville Surgery – 89 per cent

The Manor Street Surgery – 88 per cent

Parkwood Surgery – 88 per cent

Chorleywood Health Centre – 88 per cent

Lincoln House Surgery – 88 per cent

Midway Surgery – 88 per cent

Manor View Practice – 87 per cent

Tudor Practice – 86 per cent

Davenport House Surgery – 86 per cent

Parkbury House Surgery – 86 per cent

Harvey Group Practice – 86 per cent

Attenborough Surgery – 86 per cent

Little Bushey Surgery – 84 per cent

Highview Medical Centre – 84 per cent

Vine House Health Centre – 84 per cent

Annandale Medical Centre – 84 per cent

Sheepcot Medical Centre – 83 per cent

Colney Medical Centre – 83 per cent

Coleridge House Medical Centre – 82 per cent

Gossoms End Surgery - 81 per cent

Hatfield Road Surgery - 81 per cent

Pathfinder Practice - 80 per cent

Woodhall Farm Medical Centre - 80 per cent

Schopwick Surgery - 79 per cent

Maltings Surgery  - 79 per cent

Consulting Rooms - 78 per cent

Parkfield Medical Centre - 78 per cent

Bennetts End Surgery 76 per cent

Garston Medical Centre - 75 per cent

Suthergrey House Medical- 75 per cent

Upton Road Surgery - 73 per cent

Fairbrook Medical Centre - 73 per cent

Lodge, Highfield and Redbourn - 72 per cent

Abbotswood Medical Centre - 71 per cent

Cassio Surgery - 71 per cent

The Grove Medical Centre - 69 per cent

Berkhamsted Group Practice - 67 per cent

The Theobald Medical Centre – 58 per cent

Ipsos MORI, an independent research agency, administers the survey on behalf of NHS England.

To see the data click here