Farmhouse Surgery, Christchurch: patient reviews and CQC rating
Farmhouse Surgery is a GP practice in Christchurch with 5,643 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 83% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Dorset: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Inadequate overall, in a report published in June 2023. It has 3.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,902 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Farmhouse Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 84%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 36%, below the England figure of 54%. Of the 11 results in the table, 4 are above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 6 within it.
On overall experience it is 3rd of the 6 practices in Christchurch with 50 or more responses. 84% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points lower than in 2025 (85%). 104 patients answered the survey (response rate 31%).
| Survey question | Farmhouse Surgery | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 83% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 84% | 63% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 83% | 65% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 36% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 91% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 86% | 77% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 76% | 67% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 93% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 91% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 97% | 92% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 98% of 122 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Farmhouse Surgery is Inadequate, published in June 2023. 3 key questions are rated differently: Caring Good, Responsive Good and Effective Requires Improvement. Its previous overall rating was Good (February 2017).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Inadequate |
| Well-led | Inadequate |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Requires Improvement |
5,643 patients were registered at Farmhouse Surgery in September 2026, down 4.6% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
33% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,902 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Dorset's 1,904. The practice also has 1.1 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 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| August 2024 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| August 2025 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| August 2026 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,239 appointments a month, or 574 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 53% were face to face (England: 63%). 57% took place on the day they were booked and 4% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
51% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 1% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Farmhouse Surgery | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 574 | 612 | 510 |
| Face to face | 53% | 63% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 57% | 43% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 4% | 10% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 1% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for chronic kidney disease (8.4% against 4.6%), stroke or TIA (3.3% against 1.9%) and atrial fibrillation (3.7% against 2.2%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.4% against 1.2%) and depression (9.1% against 14.3%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 18.6 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.8 years for women and 79.9 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 17.0% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 9.1% | 14.3% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 8.4% | 4.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.7% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.4% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.7% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.7% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.7% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.3% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.5% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.4% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 74.6% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 66.7% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 72.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 73.6% | 74.9% |
Farmhouse Surgery, Christchurch Medical Centre, 1 Purewell Cross Road, Christchurch, BH23 3AF. Phone: 01202 488487. Website: www.thefarmhousesurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Christchurch Medical Practice | 0.0 km | 78% |
| Stour Surgery | 1.6 km | 93% |
| The Grove Surgery | 2.4 km | 81% |
| The Marine and Oakridge Partnership | 3.6 km | 85% |
| Southbourne Surgery | 4.0 km | 94% |
- Christchurch Medical Practice (78% overall experience good)
- Highcliffe Medical Centre (80% overall experience good)
- Stour Surgery (93% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Farmhouse Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 83% of patients described their overall experience of Farmhouse Surgery as good, against 77% across England. 84% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Farmhouse Surgery?
5,643 patients were registered in September 2026, down 4.6% on a year earlier.
What is Farmhouse Surgery's CQC rating?
Inadequate overall, published in June 2023.
How many GPs does Farmhouse Surgery have?
3.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (5 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,902 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Farmhouse Surgery face to face?
53% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Farmhouse Surgery's phone number?
01202 488487.