Mid Dorset PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Mid Dorset PCN is a primary care network of 8 GP practices with 52,324 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%. Its practices have 1,612 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 8 practices in Mid Dorset PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 73% at Atrium Health Centre to 99% at Milton Abbas Surgery, with a median of 93% (England: 77%). 7 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Fordington Surgery has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (99%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milton Abbas Surgery | 5,016 | 99% | 99% | Outstanding | 1,341 |
| Puddletown Surgery | 4,335 | 97% | 99% | Good | 1,556 |
| The Prince of Wales Surgery | 9,940 | 96% | 78% | Good | 1,405 |
| Fordington Surgery | 5,429 | 94% | 99% | Good | 1,100 |
| Poundbury Doctors Surgery | 8,225 | 93% | 89% | Good | 2,157 |
| Cerne Abbas Surgery | 4,179 | 91% | 96% | Good | 1,380 |
| Queens Avenue Surgery | 8,751 | 87% | 86% | Good | – |
| Atrium Health Centre | 6,449 | 73% | 65% | Good | 3,901 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 891 responses, against Dorset and England.
| Survey question | Mid Dorset PCN | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 91% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 87% | 63% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 67% | 65% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 63% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 95% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 90% | 77% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 74% | 67% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 92% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 92% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 97% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 96% | 92% | 90% |
There are 1,612 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Mid Dorset PCN, fewer than England's 2,171 and Dorset's 1,904. Practices recorded 599 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 65% of them face to face. 35% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
30% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists grew by 0.1% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Mid Dorset PCN | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 1,612 | 1,904 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 599 | 612 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 65% | 63% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 35% | 43% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 30% | 26% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Mid Dorset PCN is palliative care (1.4% against 0.6%), and the furthest below is depression (11.8% against 14.3%).
| Condition register | Age group | Mid Dorset PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 18.6% | 15.2% | 9,684 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 11.8% | 14.3% | 5,121 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.7% | 6.6% | 4,347 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.5% | 7.9% | 3,313 |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.4% | 3.8% | 2,803 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.9% | 4.6% | 2,120 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.3% | 3.0% | 2,227 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.9% | 2.2% | 2,012 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.8% | 1.9% | 1,459 |
| COPD | All ages | 2.1% | 1.9% | 1,067 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 1.4% | 0.6% | 715 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.3% | 1.1% | 699 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.3% | 1.2% | 353 |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.1% | 0.8% | 559 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 418 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% | 474 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 358 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% | 321 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% | 316 |
- Crane Valley PCN (4 practices)
- Jurassic Coast PCN (3 practices)
- Purbeck PCN (6 practices)
- Sarum West PCN (6 practices)
- Sherborne Area PCN (3 practices)
- The Vale PCN (2 practices)
- Weymouth & Portland PCN (5 practices)
- Wimborne & Ferndown PCN (4 practices)
Which practices are in Mid Dorset PCN?
Atrium Health Centre, Cerne Abbas Surgery, Fordington Surgery, Milton Abbas Surgery, Poundbury Doctors Surgery, Puddletown Surgery, Queens Avenue Surgery and The Prince of Wales Surgery.
How do patients rate Mid Dorset PCN?
91% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, above the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does Mid Dorset PCN cover?
52,324 registered patients across 8 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Mid Dorset PCN have?
1,612 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.