Ashdown Forest Health Centre, Forest Row: patient reviews and CQC rating
Ashdown Forest Health Centre is a GP practice in Forest Row with 10,885 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 83% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Surrey and Sussex: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in August 2016. It has 6.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,638 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Ashdown Forest Health Centre
Its best result against England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 86%, above the England figure of 69%. Its weakest is the share who said their needs were met at their last appointment: 87%, 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.
60% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is unchanged from 2025 (83%). 114 patients answered the survey (response rate 38%).
| Survey question | Ashdown Forest Health Centre | Surrey and Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 83% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 60% | 55% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 60% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 66% | 54% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 90% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 88% | 73% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 86% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 86% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 89% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 87% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 96% of 294 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Ashdown Forest Health Centre is Good, published in August 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good. Its previous overall rating was Requires Improvement (March 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
10,885 patients were registered at Ashdown Forest Health Centre in September 2026, up 1.1% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
27% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 6.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,638 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Surrey and Sussex's 2,031. The practice also has 1.5 nurses and 3.4 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 6.1 | 8.0 |
| August 2024 | 5.6 | 8.8 |
| August 2025 | 6.6 | 6.6 |
| August 2026 | 6.6 | 7.7 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,809 appointments a month, or 534 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 52% were face to face (England: 63%). 53% took place on the day they were booked and 6% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
54% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 1% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Ashdown Forest Health Centre | Surrey and Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 534 | 521 | 510 |
| Face to face | 52% | 58% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 53% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 6% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 1% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for chronic kidney disease (6.4% against 4.6%), atrial fibrillation (2.9% against 2.2%) and cancer (4.8% against 3.8%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.4% against 1.2%), palliative or supportive care needs (0.3% against 0.6%) and depression (10.0% against 14.3%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 11.8 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 86.0 years for women and 83.7 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 15.7% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 10.0% | 14.3% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.4% | 4.6% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 5.7% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 5.7% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.8% | 3.8% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.9% | 2.2% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.7% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.2% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.6% | 1.9% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.8% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.4% | 1.2% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 74.0% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 65.6% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 61.2% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 67.5% | 74.9% |
Ashdown Forest Health Centre, Lewes Road, Forest Row, RH18 5AQ. Phone: 01342 822131. Website: www.ashdownforesthealthcen.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Dr MK Patel and partners | 5.0 km | 80% |
| Modality Mid Sussex | 8.2 km | 51% |
| Lingfield Surgery | 9.2 km | 68% |
| Dr Justin Morris and Partners | 9.8 km | 90% |
| The Saxonbury House Surgery | 10.0 km | 70% |
- Dr Justin Morris and Partners (90% overall experience good)
- Groombridge and Hartfield Medical Group (99% overall experience good)
- The Brook Health Centre (66% overall experience good)
- The Saxonbury House Surgery (70% overall experience good)
- Wadhurst Medical Group (66% overall experience good)
- Woodhill Surgery (91% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Ashdown Forest Health Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 83% of patients described their overall experience of Ashdown Forest Health Centre as good, against 77% across England. 60% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Ashdown Forest Health Centre?
10,885 patients were registered in September 2026, up 1.1% on a year earlier.
What is Ashdown Forest Health Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in August 2016.
How many GPs does Ashdown Forest Health Centre have?
6.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (12 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,638 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Ashdown Forest Health Centre face to face?
52% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Ashdown Forest Health Centre's phone number?
01342 822131.