Sound PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Sound PCN is a primary care network of 5 GP practices with 42,166 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 67% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77%. Its practices have 2,542 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 5 practices in Sound PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 59% at Oakside Surgery to 81% at Elm Surgery, with a median of 62% (England: 77%). 0 are above England and 3 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Elm Surgery has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (67%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elm Surgery | 9,872 | 81% | 67% | Good | 1,922 |
| Southway Surgery | 5,536 | 79% | 63% | Good | 2,281 |
| Friary House Surgery | 11,162 | 62% | 19% | Good | 3,677 |
| Budshead Medical Practice | 7,314 | 59% | 54% | Good | 2,395 |
| Oakside Surgery | 8,282 | 59% | 46% | Good | 2,823 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 490 responses, against Devon and England.
| Survey question | Sound PCN | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 67% | 79% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 47% | 59% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 60% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 48% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 83% | 87% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 63% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 65% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 79% | 90% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 78% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 89% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 82% | 91% | 90% |
There are 2,542 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Sound PCN, more than England's 2,171 and Devon's 1,863. Practices recorded 777 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 31% of them face to face. 54% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
19% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 2.9% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Sound PCN | Devon | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 2,542 | 1,863 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 777 | 626 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 31% | 54% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 54% | 45% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 19% | 25% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Sound PCN is copd (3.3% against 1.9%), and the furthest below is palliative care (0.2% against 0.6%).
| Condition register | Age group | Sound PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 21.7% | 14.3% | 7,538 |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 16.3% | 15.2% | 7,162 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.1% | 7.9% | 3,199 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.6% | 6.6% | 3,145 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.2% | 4.6% | 1,470 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.0% | 3.0% | 1,771 |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.8% | 3.8% | 1,684 |
| COPD | All ages | 3.3% | 1.9% | 1,434 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.2% | 2.2% | 954 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% | 874 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.4% | 1.1% | 616 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.4% | 1.2% | 212 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.2% | 1.0% | 514 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% | 367 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% | 386 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 314 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 349 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.6% | 0.8% | 270 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% | 79 |
- Barnstaple Alliance PCN (4 practices)
- Coast and Country PCN (4 practices)
- Drake Medical Alliance PCN (5 practices)
- Mewstone PCN (4 practices)
- Outer Exeter PCN (6 practices)
- Tiverton PCN (3 practices)
- Waterside Health Network PCN (7 practices)
- West Devon PCN (3 practices)
Which practices are in Sound PCN?
Budshead Medical Practice, Elm Surgery, Friary House Surgery, Oakside Surgery and Southway Surgery.
How do patients rate Sound PCN?
67% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, below the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does Sound PCN cover?
42,166 registered patients across 5 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Sound PCN have?
2,542 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.