Christchurch PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Christchurch PCN is a primary care network of 4 GP practices with 47,232 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 83% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77%. Its practices have 1,854 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 4 practices in Christchurch PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 78% at Christchurch Medical Practice to 93% at Stour Surgery, with a median of 81% (England: 77%). 1 is above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Stour Surgery has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (93%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stour Surgery | 10,893 | 93% | 93% | Good | 1,865 |
| Farmhouse Surgery | 5,643 | 83% | 84% | Inadequate | 1,902 |
| Highcliffe Medical Centre | 15,352 | 80% | 30% | Good | 1,758 |
| Christchurch Medical Practice | 15,344 | 78% | 38% | Good | 1,933 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 434 responses, against Dorset and England.
| Survey question | Christchurch PCN | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 83% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 54% | 63% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 65% | 65% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 56% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 91% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 78% | 77% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 72% | 67% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 88% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 86% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 96% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 94% | 92% | 90% |
There are 1,854 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Christchurch PCN, fewer than England's 2,171 and Dorset's 1,904. Practices recorded 690 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 56% of them face to face. 39% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
33% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 1.8% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Christchurch PCN | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 1,854 | 1,904 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 690 | 612 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 56% | 63% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 39% | 43% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 33% | 26% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Christchurch PCN is chronic kidney disease (8.7% against 4.6%), and the furthest below is depression (10.3% against 14.3%).
| Condition register | Age group | Christchurch PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 20.1% | 15.2% | 9,706 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 10.3% | 14.3% | 4,216 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 8.7% | 4.6% | 3,565 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.0% | 6.6% | 3,717 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.0% | 7.9% | 3,289 |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.1% | 3.8% | 2,925 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 5.2% | 3.0% | 2,520 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 4.2% | 2.2% | 2,023 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.4% | 1.9% | 1,628 |
| COPD | All ages | 2.1% | 1.9% | 1,008 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.9% | 1.1% | 908 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.5% | 1.2% | 390 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.3% | 0.8% | 528 |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.2% | 0.8% | 574 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% | 431 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 399 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 393 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% | 293 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% | 282 |
- Bournemouth East Collaborative PCN (4 practices)
- Central Bournemouth PCN (4 practices)
- North Bournemouth PCN (4 practices)
- Poole Central PCN (5 practices)
- Poole North PCN (4 practices)
- South Coastal Medical Group PCN (5 practices)
Which practices are in Christchurch PCN?
Christchurch Medical Practice, Farmhouse Surgery, Highcliffe Medical Centre and Stour Surgery.
How do patients rate Christchurch PCN?
83% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, above the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does Christchurch PCN cover?
47,232 registered patients across 4 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Christchurch PCN have?
1,854 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.