Sandhills PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Sandhills PCN is a primary care network of 3 GP practices with 44,702 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 66% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77%. Its practices have 2,348 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 3 practices in Sandhills PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 60% at Saffron Health Partnership to 77% at Greensands Medical Practice, with a median of 65% (England: 77%). 0 are above England and 2 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Greensands Medical Practice has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (41%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greensands Medical Practice | 12,960 | 77% | 41% | Good | 1,948 |
| Sandy Health Centre Medical Practice | 10,059 | 65% | 37% | Good | 2,566 |
| Saffron Health Partnership | 21,683 | 60% | 25% | Good | 2,561 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 399 responses, against Central East and England.
| Survey question | Sandhills PCN | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 66% | 75% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 32% | 52% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 54% | 60% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 38% | 52% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 82% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 59% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 65% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 86% | 86% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 84% | 85% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 88% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 85% | 89% | 90% |
There are 2,348 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Sandhills PCN, close to England's 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. Practices recorded 564 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 63% of them face to face. 47% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
21% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists grew by 0.0% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Sandhills PCN | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 2,348 | 2,348 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 564 | 521 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 63% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 47% | 48% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 4% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 21% | 17% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Sandhills PCN is cancer (4.5% against 3.8%), and the furthest below is palliative care (0.4% against 0.6%).
| Condition register | Age group | Sandhills PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 15.8% | 15.2% | 7,044 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 11.6% | 14.3% | 4,129 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.3% | 7.9% | 2,990 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.4% | 6.6% | 3,102 |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.5% | 3.8% | 1,992 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.3% | 4.6% | 1,189 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.0% | 3.0% | 1,348 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.6% | 2.2% | 1,153 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.8% | 1.9% | 820 |
| COPD | All ages | 1.7% | 1.9% | 758 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.0% | 1.2% | 188 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.9% | 1.1% | 414 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% | 392 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 319 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.8% | 0.8% | 346 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 271 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% | 215 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% | 206 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% | 171 |
- Chiltern Hills PCN (3 practices)
- Green Vale Health PCN (2 practices)
- Hillton PCN (3 practices)
- Ivel Valley South PCN (3 practices)
- Leighton Linslade Health Connections PCN (3 practices)
- Titan PCN (3 practices)
- Trident PCN (3 practices)
Which practices are in Sandhills PCN?
Greensands Medical Practice, Saffron Health Partnership and Sandy Health Centre Medical Practice.
How do patients rate Sandhills PCN?
66% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, below the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does Sandhills PCN cover?
44,702 registered patients across 3 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Sandhills PCN have?
2,348 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.