South Rural PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
South Rural PCN is a primary care network of 5 GP practices with 57,002 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 75% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England. Its practices have 2,404 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 5 practices in South Rural PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 55% at Needham Market Country Practice to 95% at Bildeston Health Centre, with a median of 81% (England: 77%). 2 are above England and 2 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Bildeston Health Centre has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (90%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bildeston Health Centre | 7,603 | 95% | 90% | Good | 3,354 |
| Hadleigh Boxford Group Practice | 16,331 | 90% | 76% | Good | 2,105 |
| Holbrook Surgery | 8,058 | 81% | 62% | Good | 2,747 |
| Constable Country Rural Medical Practice | 11,251 | 62% | 66% | Good | 2,813 |
| Needham Market Country Practice | 13,759 | 55% | 28% | Good | 2,039 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 556 responses, against Norfolk and Suffolk and England.
| Survey question | South Rural PCN | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 75% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 62% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 64% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 60% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 90% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 74% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 84% | 74% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 87% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 86% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 91% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 90% | 92% | 90% |
There are 2,404 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in South Rural PCN, more than England's 2,171 and Norfolk and Suffolk's 2,133. Practices recorded 664 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 63% of them face to face. 53% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
28% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 0.0% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | South Rural PCN | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 2,404 | 2,133 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 664 | 578 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 63% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 53% | 42% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 3% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 28% | 25% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in South Rural PCN is osteoporosis (3.8% against 1.2%), and the furthest below is serious mental illness (0.7% against 1.0%).
| Condition register | Age group | South Rural PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 19.0% | 15.2% | 10,823 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 13.3% | 14.3% | 6,241 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.1% | 6.6% | 4,349 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.5% | 7.9% | 3,582 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.5% | 4.6% | 3,491 |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.9% | 3.8% | 3,373 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.0% | 3.0% | 2,271 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 3.8% | 1.2% | 1,085 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.5% | 2.2% | 1,962 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.5% | 1.9% | 1,430 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.8% | 1.1% | 1,014 |
| COPD | All ages | 1.7% | 1.9% | 941 |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.1% | 0.8% | 612 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 408 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 420 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% | 406 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 392 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% | 338 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% | 271 |
- Blackbourne PCN (4 practices)
- East Suffolk PCN (10 practices)
- Gorleston PCN (2 practices)
- Great Yarmouth & Northern Villages PCN (5 practices)
- North Norfolk 1 PCN (3 practices)
- Norwich North PCN (3 practices)
- Sudbury and West Suffolk Rural PCN (4 practices)
- West Norfolk Coastal PCN (5 practices)
Which practices are in South Rural PCN?
Bildeston Health Centre, Constable Country Rural Medical Practice, Hadleigh Boxford Group Practice, Holbrook Surgery and Needham Market Country Practice.
How do patients rate South Rural PCN?
75% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, against 77% across England.
How many patients does South Rural PCN cover?
57,002 registered patients across 5 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does South Rural PCN have?
2,404 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.