Victoria Medical Centre, Eastbourne: patient reviews and CQC rating
Victoria Medical Centre is a GP practice in Eastbourne with 27,406 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 82% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Surrey and Sussex: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Requires Improvement overall, in a report published in March 2023. It has 13.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,968 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Victoria Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who found the reception and administrative team helpful: 96%, above the England figure of 85%. 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, 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 3rd of the 8 practices in Eastbourne with 50 or more responses. 51% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 17 points higher than in 2025 (65%). 107 patients answered the survey (response rate 27%).
| Survey question | Victoria Medical Centre | Surrey and Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 82% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 51% | 55% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 51% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 57% | 54% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 96% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 72% | 73% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 72% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 92% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 90% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 97% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 97% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 94% of 975 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Victoria Medical Centre is Requires Improvement, published in March 2023. One key question is rated differently: Caring Good. Its previous overall rating was Good (June 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Requires Improvement |
| Well-led | Requires Improvement |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Requires Improvement |
| Effective | Requires Improvement |
27,406 patients were registered at Victoria Medical Centre in September 2026, down 1.4% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
24% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 13.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,968 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Surrey and Sussex's 2,031. The practice also has 13.1 nurses and 11.3 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 10.6 | 10.6 |
| August 2024 | 13.2 | 15.4 |
| August 2025 | 14.2 | 14.2 |
| August 2026 | 13.9 | 17.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 11,706 appointments a month, or 427 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 71% were face to face (England: 63%). 32% took place on the day they were booked and 8% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
45% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 5% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Victoria Medical Centre | Surrey and Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 427 | 521 | 510 |
| Face to face | 71% | 58% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 32% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 8% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for osteoporosis (2.8% against 1.2%), dementia (1.5% against 0.8%) and atrial fibrillation (3.3% against 2.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 20.1 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.4 years for women and 78.6 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 15.3% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.9% | 15.2% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.9% | 4.6% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.7% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.6% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.1% | 3.8% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.3% | 2.2% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.9% | 3.0% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 2.8% | 1.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.5% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.8% | 1.9% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.5% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.5% | 1.0% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.2% | 1.1% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 71.9% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 74.6% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 62.5% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 71.7% | 74.9% |
Victoria Medical Centre, 153a, Victoria Drive, Eastbourne, BN20 8NH. Phone: 01323 407900. Website: www.victoriamedicalcentre.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Arlington Road Medical Practice | 1.9 km | 87% |
| Vita Healthcare - Grove Road Surgery | 2.0 km | 75% |
| The Lighthouse Medical Practice | 2.2 km | 70% |
| Park Practice | 2.5 km | 73% |
| Seaside Medical Centre | 2.8 km | 92% |
- Downlands Medical Centre (68% overall experience good)
- Manor Park Medical Centre (60% overall experience good)
- Vita Healthcare - Grove Road Surgery (75% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Victoria Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 82% of patients described their overall experience of Victoria Medical Centre as good, against 77% across England. 51% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Victoria Medical Centre?
27,406 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.4% on a year earlier.
What is Victoria Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Requires Improvement overall, published in March 2023.
How many GPs does Victoria Medical Centre have?
13.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (19 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,968 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Victoria Medical Centre face to face?
71% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Victoria Medical Centre's phone number?
01323 407900.