Fordington Surgery, Dorchester: patient reviews and CQC rating
Fordington Surgery is a GP practice in Dorchester with 5,429 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% (Dorset: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in February 2020. It has 4.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,100 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Fordington Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 99%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 38%, against 54% 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 3rd of the 7 practices in Dorchester with 50 or more responses. 99% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points lower than in 2025 (96%). 105 patients answered the survey (response rate 34%).
| Survey question | Fordington Surgery | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 94% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 99% | 63% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 51% | 65% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 38% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 97% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 95% | 77% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 77% | 67% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 91% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 91% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 92% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 96% | 92% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 98% of 243 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Fordington Surgery is Good, published in February 2020. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (July 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
5,429 patients were registered at Fordington Surgery in September 2026, up 1.9% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
26% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 4.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,100 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Dorset's 1,904. The practice also has 1.4 nurses and 2.5 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| August 2024 | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| August 2025 | 4.9 | 4.9 |
| August 2026 | 4.9 | 4.9 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,991 appointments a month, or 551 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 73% were face to face (England: 63%). 32% took place on the day they were booked and 17% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
50% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Fordington Surgery | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 551 | 612 | 510 |
| Face to face | 73% | 63% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 32% | 43% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 17% | 10% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for palliative or supportive care needs (2.0% against 0.6%), dementia (2.0% against 0.8%) and a learning disability (1.1% against 0.6%). 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 84.8 years for women and 80.8 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 23.3% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 21.5% | 15.2% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 9.1% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.5% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.2% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.5% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.6% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 4.0% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.8% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 2.0% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 2.0% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.9% | 1.1% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.4% | 1.0% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.3% | 1.2% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| 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 | 76.5% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 73.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 76.5% | 74.9% |
Fordington Surgery, The Surgery, 91 High Street, Fordington, Dorchester, DT1 1LD. Phone: 01305 250515. Website: www.fordingtonsurgery.nhs.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Atrium Health Centre | 0.8 km | 73% |
| Queens Avenue Surgery | 1.3 km | 87% |
| The Prince of Wales Surgery | 2.1 km | 96% |
| Poundbury Doctors Surgery | 2.1 km | 93% |
| Puddletown Surgery | 7.1 km | 97% |
- Atrium Health Centre (73% overall experience good)
- Cerne Abbas Surgery (91% overall experience good)
- Milton Abbas Surgery (99% overall experience good)
- Poundbury Doctors Surgery (93% overall experience good)
- Puddletown Surgery (97% overall experience good)
- Queens Avenue Surgery (87% overall experience good)
- The Prince of Wales Surgery (96% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Fordington Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 94% of patients described their overall experience of Fordington Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 99% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Fordington Surgery?
5,429 patients were registered in September 2026, up 1.9% on a year earlier.
What is Fordington Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in February 2020.
How many GPs does Fordington Surgery have?
4.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (5 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,100 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Fordington Surgery face to face?
73% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Fordington Surgery's phone number?
01305 250515.