Purbeck PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Purbeck PCN is a primary care network of 6 GP practices with 33,869 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 1,417 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 6 practices in Purbeck PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 79% at Swanage Medical Practice to 97% at Corfe Castle Surgery, with a median of 81% (England: 77%). 2 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Corfe Castle 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corfe Castle Surgery | 3,282 | 97% | 99% | Outstanding | 1,302 |
| Bere Regis Surgery | 3,888 | 91% | 96% | Good | 1,944 |
| The Wellbridge Practice | 6,026 | 81% | 53% | Good | 1,199 |
| Sandford Surgery | 1,907 | 80% | 76% | Good | – |
| Wareham Surgery | 8,168 | 80% | 38% | Good | 916 |
| Swanage Medical Practice | 10,598 | 79% | 53% | Good | 2,585 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 696 responses, against Dorset and England.
| Survey question | Purbeck PCN | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 83% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 61% | 63% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 64% | 65% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 59% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 89% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 74% | 77% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 68% | 67% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 87% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 91% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 92% | 92% | 90% |
There are 1,417 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Purbeck PCN, fewer than England's 2,171 and Dorset's 1,904. Practices recorded 623 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 70% of them face to face. 44% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
34% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 0.9% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Purbeck PCN | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 1,417 | 1,904 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 623 | 612 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 70% | 63% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 44% | 43% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 34% | 26% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Purbeck PCN is palliative care (1.3% against 0.6%), and the furthest below is osteoporosis (0.7% against 1.2%).
| Condition register | Age group | Purbeck PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 20.5% | 15.2% | 7,024 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.3% | 14.3% | 4,141 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 9.9% | 4.6% | 2,850 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.6% | 7.9% | 2,513 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.3% | 6.6% | 2,729 |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.6% | 3.8% | 2,245 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 5.2% | 3.0% | 1,785 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 4.3% | 2.2% | 1,478 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.2% | 1.9% | 1,085 |
| COPD | All ages | 2.9% | 1.9% | 990 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.8% | 1.1% | 606 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 1.3% | 0.6% | 437 |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.2% | 0.8% | 400 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% | 321 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.0% | 1.0% | 344 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 276 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 226 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 236 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.7% | 1.2% | 126 |
- Crane Valley PCN (4 practices)
- Jurassic Coast PCN (3 practices)
- Mid Dorset PCN (8 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 Purbeck PCN?
Bere Regis Surgery, Corfe Castle Surgery, Sandford Surgery, Swanage Medical Practice, The Wellbridge Practice and Wareham Surgery.
How do patients rate Purbeck PCN?
83% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, above the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does Purbeck PCN cover?
33,869 registered patients across 6 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Purbeck PCN have?
1,417 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.