Orwell PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Orwell PCN is a primary care network of 3 GP practices with 44,839 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 80% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England. Its practices have 3,484 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 3 practices in Orwell PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 68% at Burlington Road Surgery to 93% at Grove Medical Centre, with a median of 76% (England: 77%). 1 is above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Grove Medical Centre has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (80%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grove Medical Centre | 18,009 | 93% | 80% | Good | 5,215 |
| Hawthorn Drive Surgery | 11,039 | 76% | 60% | Good | 2,637 |
| Burlington Road Surgery | 15,791 | 68% | 45% | Good | 3,019 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 297 responses, against Norfolk and Suffolk and England.
| Survey question | Orwell PCN | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 80% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 63% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 53% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 54% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 86% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 77% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 84% | 74% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 88% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 88% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 93% | 92% | 90% |
There are 3,484 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Orwell PCN, more than England's 2,171 and Norfolk and Suffolk's 2,133. Practices recorded 659 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 42% of them face to face. 55% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
22% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 0.9% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Orwell PCN | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 3,484 | 2,133 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 659 | 578 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 42% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 55% | 42% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 3% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 22% | 25% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Orwell PCN is osteoporosis (1.8% against 1.2%), and the furthest below is palliative care (0.4% against 0.6%).
| Condition register | Age group | Orwell PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 16.8% | 15.2% | 7,590 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.9% | 14.3% | 5,418 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.5% | 7.9% | 3,122 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.4% | 6.6% | 3,133 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.3% | 4.6% | 2,303 |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.3% | 3.8% | 1,918 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.7% | 3.0% | 1,652 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.6% | 2.2% | 1,159 |
| COPD | All ages | 2.2% | 1.9% | 971 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.1% | 1.9% | 966 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.8% | 1.2% | 315 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.6% | 1.1% | 717 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.2% | 1.0% | 540 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% | 357 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.9% | 0.8% | 398 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 302 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 321 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 308 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% | 180 |
- Barrack Lane & Ivry Street PCN (2 practices)
- East Ipswich PCN (3 practices)
- East Suffolk PCN (10 practices)
- Lowestoft PCN (7 practices)
- North East Coastal PCN (2 practices)
- North East Ipswich PCN (2 practices)
- South Waveney PCN (5 practices)
- The Deben Health Group PCN (4 practices)
- Wolsey PCN (3 practices)
Which practices are in Orwell PCN?
Burlington Road Surgery, Grove Medical Centre and Hawthorn Drive Surgery.
How do patients rate Orwell PCN?
80% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, against 77% across England.
How many patients does Orwell PCN cover?
44,839 registered patients across 3 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Orwell PCN have?
3,484 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.