AS part of the annual GP patient survey, patients are asked a variety of questions covering a breadth of topics to help the NHS get a better understanding of how local GP surgeries run.  

Patient satisfaction in Dorset was higher than the national average, but they were also asked to rate their experiences of making an appointment, the easiness of the GP’s website and even the helpfulness of receptionists.

See how well your GP did in the full results for 'overall satisfaction' here.

Here is a roundup of some of the results of the 2023 patient survey for GPs in Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole and the rest of Dorset. 

During your last appointment, how good was the healthcare professional at treating you with care and concern? 

Corfe Castle Surgery, The Cranborne Practice and Cerne Abbas all did the best at this, with 98 per cent rating it ‘good’ overall. 

However, the worst performers for this question – with its patients saying ranking it ‘very poor’ - is Sanford Surgery (10 per cent), Farmhouse Surgery in Christchurch (nine per cent) and Demark Road Medical centre, Bournemouth (eight per cent). 

Generally, how easy or difficult is it to contact your GP using their website/on the phone? 

Cerne Abbas Surgery’s patients found their GP’s website the easiest, with 93 per cent describing it as ’good' overall. And over the phone, Milton Abbas’s patients found their GP were the easiest to access over the phone (98 per cent). 

But 35 per cent of patients in Wool found The Wellbridge Practice’s website 'very difficult' to use and 35 per cent of Southbourne Practice’s patients said their GP’s was the worst. For the Adam Practice, 42 per cent of patients found getting hold of the GP via phone was ’very difficult’. 

How often do you get to see or speak to your preferred healthcare professional when you ask to?

Puddletown Surgery did the best on this question, with 95 per cent of its patients saying 'always or almost always, a lot of the time'. This was followed by Queens Avenue Surgery, Dorchester (93 per cent) and Yetminster Medical Surgery (91 per cent).

Bournemouth's Denmark Road Medical Centre fared the worst on this question, with 47 per cent of its patients saying 'never or almost never'. This was followed by Wyke Regis & Lanehouse Medical Practice (43 per cent) and Highcliffe Medical Centre (41 per cent).

Overall, how helpful do you find the reception and administrative team at your GP practice? 

The staff at Corfe Castle Surgery and Cerne Abbas Surgery both did the best in Dorset, with 100 per cent of patients saying the service was ’helpful’. This was closely followed by Puddletown Surgery, Stour Surgery, Bere Regis Surgery and Poundbury Doctors Surgery on 99 per cent. 

But 15 per cent of patients at Wyke Regis & Lanehouse Medical Practice, The Adam Practice in Poole and Denmark Road Medical Centre found the reception staff ‘not very helpful at all'. 

Receptionists and administrative staff rated 'helpful':

CORFE CASTLE SURGERY 100%
CERNE ABBAS SURGERY 100%
PUDDLETOWN SURGERY 99%
STOUR SURGERY 99%
BERE REGIS SURGERY 99%
POUNDBURY DOCTORS SURGERY 99%
THE CRANBORNE PRACTICE 98%
ROYAL CRESCENT SURGERY 98%
FORDINGTON SURGERY 97%
QUEENS AVENUE SURGERY 97%
ST ALBANS MEDICAL CENTRE 96%
THE NEWMAN PRACTICE (DR NEWMANS SURGERY) 95%
WAREHAM SURGERY 95%
WEST MOORS VILLAGE SURGERY 95%
MILTON ABBAS SURGERY 94%
THE VERWOOD SURGERY 94%
EVERGREEN OAK SURGERY 94%
LYME BAY MEDICAL PRACTICE 94%
SWANAGE MEDICAL PRACTICE 94%
YETMINSTER MEDICAL CENTRE 92%
ORCHID HOUSE SURGERY 92%
THE BARCELLOS FAMILY PRACTICE 92%
HIGHCLIFFE MEDICAL CENTRE 92%
THE DORCHESTER RD SURGERY 91%
THE ROSEMARY HEALTH CTR 91%
THE PANTON PRACTICE 91%
PRINCE OF WALES SURGERY 91%
PENNY'S HILL PRACTICE 90%
BEAUFORT ROAD SURGERY 90%
THE HADLEIGH PRACTICE 90%
THE APPLES MEDICAL CENTRE 89%
CANFORD HEATH GROUP PRACT 89%
THE HARVEY PRACTICE 89%
LITTLEDOWN SURGERY 89%
THE GROVE MEDICAL CENTRE 89%
ROYAL MANOR HEALTH CARE 89%
THE BANKS & BEARWOOD MEDICAL CENTRE 89%
SHELLEY MANOR HOLDENHURST MEDICAL CENTRE 88%
JAMES FISHER MEDICAL CENTRE 88%
THE BRIDGES MEDICAL CTR. 88%
POOLE TOWN SURGERY 88%
WESTBOURNE MEDICAL CENTRE 88%
THE QUARTER JACK SURGERY 88%
CRESCENT PROVIDENCE SURGERY 88%
THE MARINE & OAKRIDGE PARTNERSHIP 87%
BARTON HOUSE MED PRACTICE 87%
MOORDOWN MEDICAL CENTRE 87%
SANDFORD SURGERY 87%
GROVE SURGERY 86%
AMMONITE HEALTH PARTNERSHIP 86%
CROSS ROAD SURGERY 85%
THE OLD DISPENSARY 84%
THE BIRCHWOOD PRACTICE 82%
WALFORD MILL MEDICAL CENTRE 81%
GILLINGHAM MEDICAL PRACTICE 81%
SHORE MEDICAL 80%
THE BLANDFORD GROUP PRACTICE 80%
CHRISTCHURCH MEDICAL PRACTICE 80%
TALBOT MEDICAL CENTRE 80%
VILLAGE SURGERY 80%
KINSON ROAD MEDICAL CENTRE 79%
BLACKMORE VALE PARTNERSHIP 79%
FARMHOUSE SURGERY 79%
SOUTHBOURNE PRACTICE 77%
ATRIUM HEALTH CENTRE 75%
WOODLEA HOUSE SURGERY 74%
THE WELLBRIDGE PRACTICE 73%
THE ADAM PRACTICE 73%
WYKE REGIS & LANEHOUSE MEDICAL PRACTICE 65%
DENMARK ROAD MEDICAL CENTRE 61%