The University Medical Centre, Canterbury: patient reviews and CQC rating
The University Medical Centre is a GP practice in Canterbury with 12,416 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 80% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Kent and Medway: 73%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in February 2017. It has 3.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 3,245 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The University Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 71%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who said their needs were met at their last appointment: 86%, against 90% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 2 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 9 within it.
On overall experience it is 4th of the 10 practices in Canterbury with 50 or more responses. 71% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points higher than in 2025 (78%). 125 patients answered the survey (response rate 16%).
| Survey question | The University Medical Centre | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 80% | 73% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 71% | 48% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 71% | 52% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 59% | 50% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 86% | 82% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 71% | 67% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 74% | 65% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 88% | 85% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 85% | 84% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 91% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 86% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 95% of 238 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for The University Medical Centre is Good, published in February 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
12,416 patients were registered at The University Medical Centre in September 2026, down 6.0% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
7% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 3,245 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Kent and Medway's 2,419. The practice also has 5.7 nurses and 0.7 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 4.9 | 6.5 |
| August 2024 | 4.7 | 7.7 |
| August 2025 | 4.4 | 5.4 |
| August 2026 | 3.8 | 3.8 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,391 appointments a month, or 273 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 65% were face to face (England: 63%). 24% took place on the day they were booked and 5% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
41% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 5% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The University Medical Centre | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 273 | 457 | 510 |
| Face to face | 65% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 24% | 41% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 5% | 7% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a lower share of patients for heart failure (0.1% against 1.1%), palliative or supportive care needs (0.0% against 0.6%) and peripheral arterial disease (0.0% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 15.4 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.3 years for women and 80.6 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.1% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 3.8% | 15.2% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 3.5% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 1.5% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 1.4% | 3.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.9% | 1.2% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 0.7% | 2.2% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.6% | 1.0% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 0.5% | 3.0% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 0.5% | 4.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.4% | 0.8% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 0.4% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 0.2% | 1.9% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.2% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.1% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.1% | 1.1% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.0% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.0% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 76.0% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 75.5% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 51.5% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 73.0% | 74.9% |
The University Medical Centre, Giles Lane, Canterbury, CT2 7PB. Phone: 01227 469333. Website: www.kent.ac.uk/medical.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Northgate Medical Practice | 2.2 km | 72% |
| Canterbury Health Centre | 2.8 km | 74% |
| New Dover Road Surgery | 3.1 km | 87% |
| Sturry Surgery | 4.8 km | 88% |
| Whitstable Medical Practice | 6.0 km | 86% |
- Canterbury Medical Practice (74% overall experience good)
- New Dover Road Surgery (87% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The University Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 80% of patients described their overall experience of The University Medical Centre as good, against 77% across England. 71% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The University Medical Centre?
12,416 patients were registered in September 2026, down 6.0% on a year earlier.
What is The University Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in February 2017.
How many GPs does The University Medical Centre have?
3.8 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (7 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 3,245 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The University Medical Centre face to face?
65% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The University Medical Centre's phone number?
01227 469333.