Carden Surgery, Brighton: patient reviews and CQC rating
Carden Surgery is a GP practice in Brighton with 8,369 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 94% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Surrey and Sussex: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in January 2018. It has 4.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,031 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Carden Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who described their overall experience of the practice as good: 94%, above the England figure of 77%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 51%, against 58% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 4 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 7 within it.
On overall experience it is 2nd of the 25 practices in Brighton with 50 or more responses. 69% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 9 points higher than in 2025 (85%). 115 patients answered the survey (response rate 23%).
| Survey question | Carden Surgery | Surrey and Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 94% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 69% | 55% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 51% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 49% | 54% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 87% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 81% | 73% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 65% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 95% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 91% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 93% | 91% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Carden Surgery is Good, published in January 2018. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (December 2015).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
8,369 patients were registered at Carden Surgery in September 2026, down 2.8% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
16% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 4.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,031 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Surrey and Sussex's 2,031. The practice also has 1.3 nurses and 1.3 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.0 | 3.6 |
| August 2024 | 4.0 | 4.6 |
| August 2025 | 4.1 | 5.0 |
| August 2026 | 4.1 | 6.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,408 appointments a month, or 288 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 79% were face to face (England: 63%). 31% took place on the day they were booked and 2% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
68% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 6% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Carden Surgery | Surrey and Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 288 | 521 | 510 |
| Face to face | 79% | 58% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 31% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 2% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 6% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for depression (19.7% against 14.3%). It has a lower share for palliative or supportive care needs (0.3% against 0.6%), diabetes (5.8% against 7.9%) and high blood pressure (11.6% against 15.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 16.1 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.2 years for women and 79.7 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 19.7% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 11.6% | 15.2% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.5% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 5.8% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.7% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.2% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.4% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.2% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.1% | 1.9% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.5% | 1.9% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.9% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.6% | 1.2% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 76.2% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 73.3% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 72.7% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 73.6% | 74.9% |
Carden Surgery, County Oak Medical Centre, Carden Hill, Brighton, BN1 8DD. Phone: 01273 500155. Website: www.cardensurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Warmdene Surgery | 0.0 km | 90% |
| School House Surgery | 1.8 km | 68% |
| The Avenue Surgery | 2.2 km | 59% |
| The Haven Practice | 2.4 km | 91% |
| University of Sussex Health Centre | 2.8 km | 70% |
- Montpelier Surgery (91% overall experience good)
- The Seven Dials Medical Centre (92% overall experience good)
- University of Sussex Health Centre (70% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Carden Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 94% of patients described their overall experience of Carden Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 69% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Carden Surgery?
8,369 patients were registered in September 2026, down 2.8% on a year earlier.
What is Carden Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in January 2018.
How many GPs does Carden Surgery have?
4.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (7 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,031 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Carden Surgery face to face?
79% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Carden Surgery's phone number?
01273 500155.