Penny's Hill Practice, Ferndown: patient reviews and CQC rating
Penny's Hill Practice is a GP practice in Ferndown with 7,398 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 91% 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 March 2017. It has 4.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,622 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Penny's Hill Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 74%, above the England figure of 57%. Its result closest to England is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 94%, against 93% 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 4 practices in Ferndown with 50 or more responses. 74% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 7 points higher than in 2025 (84%). 117 patients answered the survey (response rate 44%).
| Survey question | Penny's Hill Practice | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 91% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 74% | 63% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 69% | 65% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 67% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 90% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 88% | 77% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 81% | 67% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 92% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 90% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 92% | 92% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 95% of 267 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Penny's Hill Practice is Good, published in March 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
7,398 patients were registered at Penny's Hill Practice in September 2026, down 1.6% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
46% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 4.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,622 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Dorset's 1,904. The practice also has 2.0 nurses and 2.3 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| August 2024 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| August 2025 | 4.6 | 5.6 |
| August 2026 | 4.6 | 5.4 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 4,028 appointments a month, or 544 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 83% were face to face (England: 63%). 22% took place on the day they were booked and 11% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
47% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Penny's Hill Practice | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 544 | 612 | 510 |
| Face to face | 83% | 63% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 22% | 43% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 11% | 10% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for dementia (3.0% against 0.8%), atrial fibrillation (6.1% against 2.2%) and stroke or TIA (4.7% against 1.9%). It has a lower share for depression (8.2% against 14.3%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 10.7 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 85.6 years for women and 80.7 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 24.0% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.8% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 9.1% | 3.8% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.3% | 6.6% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 8.2% | 14.3% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 8.0% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 7.1% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 6.1% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 4.7% | 1.9% |
| Dementia | All ages | 3.0% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 2.4% | 1.1% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.9% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.4% | 1.2% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 82.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 75.4% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 77.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 76.9% | 74.9% |
Penny's Hill Practice, Ferndown Medical Centre, St Mary's Road, Ferndown, BH22 9HB. Phone: 01202 897200. Website: www.pennyshillpractice.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Orchid House Surgery | 0.0 km | 90% |
| The Barcellos Family Practice | 1.7 km | 92% |
| West Moors Group Practice | 2.5 km | 76% |
| Kinson Road Medical Centre | 3.9 km | 71% |
| James Fisher Medical Centre | 5.1 km | 79% |
- Orchid House Surgery (90% overall experience good)
- The Quarter Jack Surgery (81% overall experience good)
- Walford Mill Medical Centre (87% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Penny's Hill Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 91% of patients described their overall experience of Penny's Hill Practice as good, above the England figure of 77%. 74% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Penny's Hill Practice?
7,398 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.6% on a year earlier.
What is Penny's Hill Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in March 2017.
How many GPs does Penny's Hill Practice have?
4.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,622 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Penny's Hill Practice face to face?
83% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Penny's Hill Practice's phone number?
01202 897200.