Rural Rother PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Rural Rother PCN is a primary care network of 7 GP practices with 43,042 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 1,966 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 7 practices in Rural Rother PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 81% at Sedlescombe Surgery to 99% at Drs Parnell, Albardiaz, James and Dale, with a median of 88% (England: 77%). 6 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Drs Parnell, Albardiaz, James and Dale 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drs Parnell, Albardiaz, James and Dale | 6,834 | 99% | 99% | Good | 1,927 |
| Oldwood Surgery | 6,204 | 98% | 93% | Good | 2,008 |
| Martins Oak Surgery | 8,447 | 93% | 86% | Good | 1,947 |
| Fairfield Surgery | 4,179 | 88% | 84% | Good | 1,773 |
| Rye Medical Centre | 7,307 | 88% | 87% | Good | 1,847 |
| Ferry Road Health Centre | 3,866 | 87% | 63% | Good | 2,391 |
| Sedlescombe Surgery | 6,205 | 81% | 61% | Good | 2,078 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 819 responses, against Surrey and Sussex and England.
| Survey question | Rural Rother PCN | Surrey and Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 91% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 83% | 55% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 69% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 67% | 54% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 94% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 89% | 73% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 82% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 96% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 96% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 98% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 96% | 91% | 90% |
There are 1,966 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Rural Rother PCN, close to England's 2,171 and Surrey and Sussex's 2,031. Practices recorded 526 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 72% of them face to face. 40% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
32% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 0.5% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Rural Rother PCN | Surrey and Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 1,966 | 2,031 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 526 | 521 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 72% | 58% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 40% | 45% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 4% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 32% | 22% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Rural Rother PCN is atrial fibrillation (4.1% against 2.2%), and the furthest below is serious mental illness (0.9% against 1.0%).
| Condition register | Age group | Rural Rother PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 21.2% | 15.2% | 9,143 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 15.1% | 14.3% | 5,425 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.8% | 7.9% | 2,854 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.5% | 4.6% | 2,686 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.0% | 6.6% | 2,907 |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.2% | 3.8% | 2,690 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 4.1% | 2.2% | 1,791 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.0% | 3.0% | 1,729 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.9% | 1.9% | 1,270 |
| COPD | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% | 998 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 2.1% | 1.2% | 493 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.3% | 1.1% | 545 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.9% | 0.8% | 410 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% | 392 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 330 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 279 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 329 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% | 249 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% | 248 |
- Alps Group PCN (4 practices)
- Bexhill PCN (3 practices)
- East & Central Brighton PCN (9 practices)
- Eastbourne East PCN (3 practices)
- Hailsham PCN (2 practices)
- North & Central Brighton PCN (4 practices)
- Victoria Eastbourne PCN (4 practices)
- West Hove PCN (4 practices)
Which practices are in Rural Rother PCN?
Drs Parnell, Albardiaz, James and Dale, Fairfield Surgery, Ferry Road Health Centre, Martins Oak Surgery, Oldwood Surgery, Rye Medical Centre and Sedlescombe Surgery.
How do patients rate Rural Rother PCN?
91% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, above the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does Rural Rother PCN cover?
43,042 registered patients across 7 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Rural Rother PCN have?
1,966 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.