Dunster Surgery, Minehead: patient reviews and CQC rating
Dunster Surgery is a GP practice in Minehead with 8,625 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% (Somerset: 79%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Outstanding overall, in a report published in December 2018. It has 4.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,878 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Dunster Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 92%, above the England figure of 57%. Its result closest to England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 74%, against 69% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 9 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 2 within it.
92% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points higher than in 2025 (89%). 120 patients answered the survey (response rate 45%).
| Survey question | Dunster Surgery | Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 91% | 79% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 92% | 60% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 70% | 61% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 77% | 59% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 96% | 87% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 93% | 75% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 74% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 94% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 94% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 98% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 96% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 97% of 687 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Dunster Surgery is Outstanding, published in December 2018. 3 key questions are rated differently: Safe Good, Responsive Good and Effective Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Outstanding |
| Caring | Outstanding |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
8,625 patients were registered at Dunster Surgery in September 2026, up 9.9% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
43% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 4.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,878 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Somerset's 1,975. The practice also has 2.9 nurses and 1.7 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 4.7 | 7.9 |
| August 2024 | 4.8 | 8.6 |
| August 2025 | 5.9 | 9.7 |
| August 2026 | 4.6 | 7.6 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 4,806 appointments a month, or 557 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 91% were face to face (England: 63%). 36% took place on the day they were booked and 11% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
38% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Dunster Surgery | Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 557 | 494 | 510 |
| Face to face | 91% | 65% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 36% | 41% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 11% | 7% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for osteoporosis (2.8% against 1.2%), atrial fibrillation (5.2% against 2.2%) and stroke or TIA (4.2% against 1.9%). It has a lower share for a learning disability (0.3% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 25.9 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.3 years for women and 78.9 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 26.0% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 12.4% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 9.2% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 8.4% | 3.8% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.2% | 7.9% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 5.9% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 5.2% | 2.2% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.7% | 4.6% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 4.2% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.9% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 2.8% | 1.2% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 2.1% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 77.3% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 76.0% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 78.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 78.7% | 74.9% |
Dunster Surgery, Knowle Lane, Dunster, Minehead, TA24 6SR. Phone: 01643 821244. Website: www.dunsterandporlocksurgeries.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Minehead Medical Centre | 3.3 km | 60% |
| West Somerset Healthcare | 9.2 km | 90% |
| Exmoor Medical Centre | 17.3 km | 92% |
| Lister House Surgery | 18.2 km | 80% |
| The Quantock Medical Centre | 20.7 km | 97% |
- Exmoor Medical Centre (92% overall experience good)
- Minehead Medical Centre (60% overall experience good)
- West Somerset Healthcare (90% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Dunster Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 91% of patients described their overall experience of Dunster Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 92% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Dunster Surgery?
8,625 patients were registered in September 2026, up 9.9% on a year earlier.
What is Dunster Surgery's CQC rating?
Outstanding overall, published in December 2018.
How many GPs does Dunster Surgery have?
4.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (7 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,878 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Dunster Surgery face to face?
91% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Dunster Surgery's phone number?
01643 821244.