Hitchin and Whitwell PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Hitchin and Whitwell PCN is a primary care network of 4 GP practices with 47,556 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 76% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England. Its practices have 1,815 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 4 practices in Hitchin and Whitwell PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 51% at Dr Rajpreet Millan to 90% at The Portmill Surgery, with a median of 71% (England: 77%). 1 is above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Dr Rajpreet Millan has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (61%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Portmill Surgery | 14,619 | 90% | 52% | Good | 2,012 |
| Regal Chambers Surgery | 12,412 | 72% | 44% | Good | 1,430 |
| Courtenay House Surgery | 17,792 | 71% | 37% | Good | 2,119 |
| Dr Rajpreet Millan | 2,733 | 51% | 61% | Good | 1,464 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 437 responses, against Central East and England.
| Survey question | Hitchin and Whitwell PCN | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 76% | 75% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 45% | 52% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 57% | 60% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 36% | 52% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 79% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 68% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 73% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 85% | 86% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 86% | 85% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 91% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 90% | 89% | 90% |
There are 1,815 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Hitchin and Whitwell PCN, fewer than England's 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. Practices recorded 452 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 61% of them face to face. 45% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
19% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 0.9% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Hitchin and Whitwell PCN | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 1,815 | 2,348 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 452 | 521 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 61% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 45% | 48% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 4% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 19% | 17% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Hitchin and Whitwell PCN is palliative care (1.5% against 0.6%), and the furthest below is chronic kidney disease (2.0% against 4.6%).
| Condition register | Age group | Hitchin and Whitwell PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.0% | 15.2% | 6,704 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 10.7% | 14.3% | 4,046 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.3% | 6.6% | 3,256 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.3% | 7.9% | 2,417 |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.0% | 3.8% | 1,901 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.5% | 2.2% | 1,203 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.5% | 3.0% | 1,174 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 2.0% | 4.6% | 742 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.9% | 1.9% | 895 |
| COPD | All ages | 1.6% | 1.9% | 767 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 1.5% | 0.6% | 721 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% | 508 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.9% | 0.8% | 430 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.8% | 1.1% | 404 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% | 271 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.7% | 1.2% | 130 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% | 259 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% | 248 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% | 214 |
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- Huntingdon PCN (3 practices)
- Icknield PCN (5 practices)
- Meridian PCN (6 practices)
- Stevenage South PCN (5 practices)
- Wisbech PCN (4 practices)
Which practices are in Hitchin and Whitwell PCN?
Courtenay House Surgery, Dr Rajpreet Millan, Regal Chambers Surgery and The Portmill Surgery.
How do patients rate Hitchin and Whitwell PCN?
76% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, against 77% across England.
How many patients does Hitchin and Whitwell PCN cover?
47,556 registered patients across 4 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Hitchin and Whitwell PCN have?
1,815 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.