The best and worst GP surgeries in Dorset

The annual GP Patient Survey has revealed Dorset’s best and worst doctor’s surgeries.

• Last year's results

Residents were asked for their opinion on all aspects of dealing with practices, from booking appointments, waiting times, out-of-hours services and the quality of care given.

Across Dorset 22,000 surveys were handed out to patients and 10,073 were completed and returned.

Overall practices in the Dorset CCG recorded a 89 per cent satisfaction rating, five per cent above the national average.

The following findings relate to practices in the Daily Echo circulation area. For overall satisfaction ratings for all of Dorset go to the bottom of this article.

Three practices received the joint highest patient satisfaction rating in the Daily Echo circulation area, with 99 per cent rating them as good or better. These were Corfe Castle Surgery, Denmark Road Medical Centre and Littledown Surgery.

A further three practices – Barcellos Family Practice in Ferndown, Quarter Jack Surgery in Wimborne and Dr Newman’s Practice in Poole – received 98 per cent.

The lowest ranked practice was Longfleet House Surgery, with a 63 per cent overall satisfaction rating, while another 13 practices in the region were below the national average.

These were Alma Partnership (83 per cent), Walford Mill Med Centre (82 per cent), Rosemary Health Centre (81 per cent), Poole Road Med Centre (81 per cent), Swanage Med Practice (81 per cent), Christchurch Med Practice (80 per cent), Lilliput Surgery (80 per cent), Talbot Med Centre (79 per cent), The Panton Practice (79 per cent), Blackmore Vale Partnership (77 per cent), The Wellbridge Practice (77 per cent), West Moors Group Practice (70 per cent) and Marine & Oakridge Partnership (67 per cent).

The merger of several practices meant this year’s survey was the first time some GPs had featured, including Christchurch Medical Practice and Parkstone Tower Practice.

A total of 78 per cent of Dorset residents who completed the survey said their overall experience when making an appointment was good. This was down four per cent on 2017.

Bute House, Denmark Road Medical Centre and The Barcellos Family Practice were all rated as good for this area by 99 per cent of patients.

Marine & Oakridge Partnership scored the lowest in this category with 55 per cent.

Lilliput Surgery, Talbot Medical Centre and Longfleet House Surgery all faired marginally better.

More than a quarter of Dorset residents – 27 per cent – said they were not satisfied by the available appointment times made available to them. Half of the patients at Lilliput Surgery were dissatisfied with the range of appointments on offer, the worst record in the county for this field. Denmark Road Medical Centre and The Old Dispensary were rated as the best in this area, with 95 per cent patient approval on the range of appointment times on offer.

Meanwhile, 30 per cent of Dorset patients said they had to wait for more than 15 minutes after their scheduled appointment before they saw a healthcare professional.

At five surgeries the majority of patients said they had to wait for longer than this after their appointment time. The practices in question were West Moors Group Practice, Longfleet House Surgery, The Banks & Bearwood Medical Centre, Grove Surgery and Poole Road Medical Centre.

Across Dorset, 96 per cent of people said their last appointment with a GP met their needs.

The helpfulness of receptionists was also surveyed. The Marine & Oakridge Partnership came out as the worst practice again, with only 73 per cent of patients stating reception staff were helpful.

The Old Dispensary, Corfe Castle Surgery and Bute House all received 100 per cent approval for the helpfulness of receptionists.

Patients were also asked how easy is it was to get through to someone at their practice on the phone. In the Dorset CCG area, 84 per cent said it was easy. Corfe Castle Surgery and Milton Abbas Surgery both recorded 100 per cent for this category, while Christchurch Medical Practice was rated as the worst, with just 46 per cent of patients stating it was easy.

In total 60 per cent of Dorset patients said they usually prefer to see a particular doctor, but only 62 per cent see their preferred GP most of the time.

The Marine & Oakridge Partnership was rated as the worst in this category, with just 14 per cent of patients saying they got to see their preferred GP when they wanted to. The Old Dispensary came out on top in this field, with 90 per cent of patients able to see their preferred doctor.

Joyce Guest, chair of independent watchdog Healthwatch Dorset, said: “It’s great to see that patient satisfaction with local GP services is generally high, but some people are still finding it difficult to get the help they need from their surgery.

“I hope these results will encourage GP surgeries across Dorset to share good practice and work on improvements, we know that people get the best healthcare when they have a good relationship with their GP surgery.”

"Healthwatch Dorset published a report last year with a number of recommendations to help GP surgeries improve access to their services: http://bit.do/hwdorset. Small changes can make a big difference, like providing clear information about opening times, booking appointments and out of hours services so people know exactly when, where & how to contact their GP.”

The overall patient satisfaction ratings for all Dorset GP practices (percentage change from last year):

1. Puddletown Surgery – 100 per cent (+2)

2. Corfe Castle Surgery – 99 per cent (+1)

3. Denmark Road Centre – 99 per cent (+4)

4. Littledown Surgery – 99 per cent (+2)

5. Malthouse Meadows Surgery – 99 per cent (0)

6. Queens Avenue Surgery – 99 per cent (+2)

7. Charmouth Medical Practice – 99 per cent (-1)

8. Fordington Surgery – 98 per cent (-1)

9. The Dorchester Road Surgery – 98 per cent (+6)

10. Barcellos Family Practice – 98 per cent (+4)

11. Quarterjack Surgery – 98 per cent (+5)

12. Dr Newman’s Practice – 98 per cent (+2)

13. Poole Town Surgery – 97 per cent (+2)

14. Bute House – 97 per cent (-2)

15. Orchid House Surgery – 97 per cent (+9)

16. The Adam Practice – 97 per cent (+5)

17. Sandford Surgery – 97 per cent (+2)

18. Milton Abbas Surgery – 96 per cent (-3)

19. The Harvey Practice – 96 per cent (+6)

20. Yetminster Medical Centre – 96 per cent (-3)

21. Evergreen Oak Surgery – 96 per cent (0)

22. Poundbury Doctors Surgery – 96 per cent (+5)

23. Royal Crescent Surgery – 96 per cent (-1)

24. The Bridges Medical Centre – 95 per cent (+8)

25. Moordown Medical Centre – 95 per cent (+4)

26. Leybourne Surgery – 95 per cent (-3)

27. The Apples Medical Centre – 95 per cent (-3)

28. Eagle House Surgery – 94 per cent (-4)

29. The Cranborne Practice – 94 per cent (+3)

30. The Prince of Wales Surgery – 94 per cent (+4)

31. Kinson Road Medical Centre – 94 per cent (+5)

32. Penny’s Hill Practice – 93 per cent (+3)

33. Farmhouse Surgery – 93 per cent (+2)

34. Southbourne Practice – 93 per cent (-5)

35. Cross Road Surgery – 93 per cent (-7)

36. Wessex Road Surgery – 93 per cent (-5)

37. Carlisle House Surgery – 93 per cent (-2)

38. The Tollerford Practice – 93 per cent (+1)

39. Heatherview Medical Centre – 93 per cent (+11)

40. Royal Manor Health Care – 92 per cent (+8)

41. Lyme Bay Medical Practice – 92 per cent (-5)

42. Cerne Abbas Surgery – 92 per cent (-2)

43. Gillingham Medical Practice – 91 per cent (-8)

44. Canford Heath Group Practice – 91 per cent (-4)

45. Woodlea House Surgery – 91 per cent (+4)

46. St Albans Medical Centre – 91 per cent (+3)

47. The Old Dispensary – 90 per cent (-3)

48. Wyke Regis & Lanehouse Medical Practice – 90 per cent (-7)

49. Bere Regis Surgery – 90 per cent (-1)

50. Westbourne Medical Centre – 90 per cent (-2)

51. Lyme Regis Medical Centre – 90 per cent (+1)

52. Bridport Medical Centre – 90 per cent (+4)

53. The Birchwood Practice – 90 per cent (0)

54. Wareham Surgery – 90 per cent (-4)

55. The Verwood Surgery – 90 per cent (-2)

56. Stalbridge Surgery – 89 per cent (-5)

57. James Fisher Medical Centre – 89 per cent (-4)

58. Highcliffe Medical Centre – 89 per cent (+4)

59. Newland Surgery – 89 per cent (-7)

60. Beaufort Road Surgery – 88 per cent (-8)

61. Whitecliff Group Practice – 88 per cent (-1)

62. Grove Surgery – 88 per cent (-6)

63. The Hadleigh Practice – 87 per cent (-8)

64. Stour Surgery – 87 per cent (-7)

65. The Banks and Bearwood Medical Centre – 87 per cent (+3)

66. Village Surgery – 87 per cent (-10)

67. Parkstone Tower Practice – 87 per cent (new practice)

68. Barton House Medical Practice – 85 per cent (-11)

69. Providence Surgery – 85 per cent (+2)

70. Shelley Manor Holdenhurst Medical Centre – 84 per cent (-7)

71. Alma Partnership – 83 per cent (-7)

72. Walford Mill Med Centre – 82 per cent (-3)

73. Abbotsbury Road Surgery – 82 per cent (-4)

74. The Rosemary Health Centre – 81 per cent (-11)

75. Poole Road Medical Centre – 81 per cent (-4)

76. Swanage Medical Practice – 81 per cent (-9)

77. Christchurch Medical Practice – 80 per cent (new practice)

78. Lilliput Surgery – 80 per cent (+1)

79. Talbot Medical Centre – 79 per cent (-6)

80. The Panton Practice – 79 per cent (-7)

81. Atrium Health Centre – 78 per cent (-8)

82. Blackmore Vale Partnership – 77 per cent (-1)

83. The Wellbridge Practice – 77 per cent (+2)

84. West Moors Group Practice – 70 per cent (-12)

85. The Marine & Oakridge Partnership – 67 per cent (-9)

86. Longfleet House Surgery – 63 per cent (-14)

• Boscombe Manor – no survey completions (2017 – 91 per cent)