GP patient survey reveals Dorset's best and worst practices

The GP Patient Survey has revealed Dorset’s best and worst doctor’s surgeries in 2020, according to residents who rely on their services.

Residents were asked for their opinion on a variety of elements about their practice, from booking appointments, waiting times, out-of-hours services and the quality of care given.

• Last year's survey results
• 2018's survey results
• 2017's survey results

Across Dorset 21,813 surveys were handed out to patients and 9,478 surveys were completed and returned.

Overall, practices in the Dorset CCG recorded an 88 per cent positive satisfaction rating, six per cent above the national average, as well as one per cent up on the county’s performance last year.

Doctor Forbes Watson, a Dorset GP and chair of NHS Dorset CCG, said: “Health services continue to face increasing demands and challenges in particular over the last few months, so overall I am very pleased with the positive results shown in the survey which are down to the hard work of everyone working in primary care.

Chair of NHS Dorset CCG Dr Forbes Watson

“We do of course recognise in places we could do better so please be assured we are all working extremely hard and adopting new ways of working, such as eConsult and remote consultations to help ensure people get the right help they need when they need it.”

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.

The Old Dispensary in Wimborne, Corfe Castle Surgery, Poole Town Surgery and Stour Surgery in Christchurch came out with the highest patient satisfaction rating, with 98 per cent rating them as good or better for overall experience. A further four practices – Apples Medical Practice in Sherborne, Lifeboat Quay Medical Centre in Poole, Penny’s Hill Practice in Ferndown and Highcliffe Medical Centre – received 97 per cent.

Stour Surgery was one of the highest rated GPs across the conurbation

The lowest ranked practice was Crescent Providence Surgery in Boscombe, with a 72 per cent overall satisfaction rating, while eight other practices in the region were below the national average. These were Christchurch Medical Practice (73 per cent), Woodlea House Surgery in Bournemouth (78 per cent), Leybourne Surgery in Bournemouth (78 per cent), Winton Health Centre (80 per cent), Walford Mill Medical Centre (80 per cent), The Blandford Group (81 per cent), The Quarter Jack Surgery (81 per cent) and Village Surgery in Poole (81 per cent).

Talbot Medical Centre had the biggest improvement from last year, increasing its overall satisfaction from 76 per cent to 92 per cent. The Quarter Jack Surgery had an 11 per cent drop, the largest fall when compared with 2019's survey results.

A total of 74 per cent of Dorset residents who completed the survey said their overall experience when making an appointment was good. This was down two per cent on 2019 and four per cent down from 2018.

Corfe Castle Surgery was ranked as good for this area by 99 per cent of patients, while Poole Town Surgery and The Old Dispensary received a 98 per cent good rating. Heatherview Medical Centre in Parkstone scored the lowest in this category with 57 per cent. The Grove Surgery in Christchurch faired marginally better.

Heatherview Medical Centre in Parkstone. Picture: Google Maps/ Street View

Across Dorset residents surveyed, 15 per cent said they were not satisfied by the available appointment times, with 69 per cent satisfied.

The survey revealed only 46 per cent of patient responses at The Grove Surgery were satisfied with the range of appointments times on offer, the worst record in the region. Corfe Castle Surgery was rated as the best in this area, with 96 per cent patient approval.Patients were asked about all aspects of the GP service they receive

Meanwhile, when asked about their last GP appointment, 29 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 Poole Road Medical Centre, the majority of patients (62 per cent) said they had to wait for longer than 15 minutes after their appointment time before they were seen or spoken to, with 33 per cent waiting more than 30 minutes.

The helpfulness of receptionists was surveyed, with Dorset GPs polling at 92 per cent being helpful.

Woodlea House Surgery came out as the worst practice, with only 83 per cent of patients stating reception staff were helpful, only slightly bettered by Westbourne Medical Centre’s result of 84 per cent. Corfe Castle Surgery, The Old Dispensary and Poole Town Surgery all received 100 per cent approval for the helpfulness of receptionists.

Westbourne Medical Centre. Picture: Google Maps/Street View

Patients were also asked how easy it was to get through to someone at their practice on the phone. In the Dorset CCG area, 79 per cent said it was easy. Corfe Castle Surgery and The Old Dispensary both recorded 100 per cent for this category, as they did last year, while Talbot Medical Centre was rated as the worst, with just 48 per cent of patients stating it was easy.

In total, more than half of Dorset patients – 56 per cent – said they usually prefer to see a particular doctor, but only 57 per cent see their preferred GP most of the time. The Marine & Oakridge Partnership in Southbourne was rated as the worst in this category, with less than one in five surveyed patients – 17 per cent – saying they got to see their preferred GP when they wanted to. The Old Dispensary came out on top in this field, with 95 per cent of patients able to see their preferred doctor.

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

1. QUEENS AVENUE SURGERY 100 per cent (+2)
2. MILTON ABBAS SURGERY 100 per cent (+5)
3. CROSS ROAD SURGERY 98 per cent (+1)
4. THE OLD DISPENSARY 98 per cent (+4)
5. CERNE ABBAS SURGERY 98 per cent (+4)
6. CORFE CASTLE SURGERY 98 per cent (-1)
7. FORDINGTON SURGERY 98 per cent (+1)
8. POOLE TOWN SURGERY 98 per cent (+4)
9. STOUR SURGERY 98 per cent (+3)
10. THE APPLES MEDICAL CENTRE 97 per cent (+8)
11. PUDDLETOWN SURGERY 97 per cent (-3)
12. LIFEBOAT QUAY MEDICAL CENTRE 97 per cent (not in 2019 survey)
13. PENNY'S HILL PRACTICE 97 per cent (+3)
14. YETMINSTER MEDICAL CENTRE 97 per cent (+1)
15. HIGHCLIFFE MEDICAL CENTRE 97 per cent (+2)
16. CHARMOUTH MEDICAL PRACTICE 97 per cent (-1)
17. THE PRINCE OF WALES SURGERY 96 per cent (+3)
18. EVERGREEN OAK SURGERY 96 per cent (+4)
19. ROYAL CRESCENT SURGERY 95 per cent  (+3)
20. DENMARK ROAD MEDICAL CENTRE 95 per cent (-2)
21. THE VERWOOD SURGERY 95 per cent (+3)
22. THE CRANBORNE PRACTICE 95 per cent (+2)
23. POUNDBURY DOCTORS SURGERY 94 per cent (+2)
24. THE DORCHESTER RD SURGERY 94 per cent (-3)
25. DR NEWMAN 94 per cent (-2)
26. SANDFORD SURGERY 93 per cent (-1)
27. MALTHOUSE MEADOWS SURGERY 93 per cent (+3)
28. WESSEX ROAD SURGERY 93 per cent (-2)
29. TALBOT MEDICAL CENTRE 92 per cent (+16)
30. LITTLEDOWN SURGERY 92 per cent (-3)
31. WAREHAM SURGERY 92 per cent (-1)
32. GILLINGHAM MEDICAL PRACTICE 92 per cent (-2)
33. SOUTHBOURNE PRACTICE 92 per cent (-5)
34. THE TOLLERFORD PRACTICE 91 per cent (not in 2019 survey)
35. ORCHID HOUSE SURGERY 91 per cent (-6)
36. WESTBOURNE MEDICAL CENTRE 91 per cent (+8)
37. THE HARVEY PRACTICE 91 per cent (-3)
38. BERE REGIS SURGERY 91 per cent (-3)
39. ST ALBANS MEDICAL CENTRE 91 per cent (-5)
40. BEAUFORT ROAD SURGERY 90 per cent (-3)
41. LILLIPUT SURGERY 90 per cent (+11)
42. THE ADAM PRACTICE 90 per cent (-3)
43. PARKSTONE TOWER PRACTICE 90 per cent (-4)
44. JAMES FISHER MEDICAL CENTRE 90 per cent (+2)
45. THE BARCELLOS FAMILY PRACTICE 90 per cent (-5)
46. THE BIRCHWOOD PRACTICE 89 per cent (0)
47. LYME BAY MEDICAL PRACTICE 89 per cent (-7)
48. SWANAGE MEDICAL PRACTICE 89 per cent (+2)
49. THE GROVE MEDICAL CENTRE 89 per cent (not in 2019 survey)
50. THE ROSEMARY HEALTH CTR 88 per cent (-2)
51. THE HADLEIGH PRACTICE 87 per cent (-2)
52. POOLE ROAD MEDICAL CENTRE 86 per cent (-4)
53. WYKE REGIS & LANEHOUSE MEDICAL PRACTICE 86 per cent (-10)
54. GROVE SURGERY 86 per cent (+6)
55. BARTON HOUSE MED PRACTICE 85 per cent (+10)
56. KINSON ROAD MEDICAL CENTRE 85 per cent (0)
57. BRIDPORT MEDICAL CENTRE 85 per cent (-1)
58. BLACKMORE VALE PARTNERSHIP 85 per cent (+3)
59. MOORDOWN MEDICAL CENTRE 83 per cent (-8)
60. HEATHERVIEW MEDICAL CTR. 83 per cent (+3)
61. THE BANKS & BEARWOOD MEDICAL CENTRE 83 per cent (+7)
62. THE PANTON PRACTICE 83 per cent (+6)
63. SHELLEY MANOR HOLDENHURST MEDICAL CENTRE 83 per cent (+16)
64. FARMHOUSE SURGERY 83 per cent (-3)
65. THE WELLBRIDGE PRACTICE 82 per cent (+2)
66. CANFORD HEATH GROUP PRACT 82 per cent (-2)
67. WEST MOORS GROUP PRACTICE 82 per cent (+5)
68. THE MARINE & OAKRIDGE PARTNERSHIP 82 per cent (+11)
69. THE BRIDGES MEDICAL CTR. 81 per cent (-6)
70. VILLAGE SURGERY 81 per cent (-8)
71. QUARTER JACK SURGERY 81 per cent (-11)
72. THE BLANDFORD GROUP PRACTICE 81 per cent  (not in 2019 survey)
73. WALFORD MILL MEDICAL CENTRE 80 per cent     (-5)
74. WINTON HEALTH CENTRE 80 per cent (not in 2019 survey)
75. LEYBOURNE SURGERY 78 per cent (-8)
76. WOODLEA HOUSE SURGERY 78 per cent (-9)
77. ATRIUM HEALTH CENTRE 76 per cent (-10)
78. CHRISTCHURCH MEDICAL PRACTICE 73 per cent (-1)
79. CRESCENT PROVIDENCE SURGERY 72 per cent (not in 2019 survey)
80. ROYAL MANOR HEALTH CARE 66 per cent (-11)