South Waveney PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
South Waveney PCN is a primary care network of 5 GP practices with 53,133 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 81% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77%. Its practices have 2,340 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 Waveney PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 73% at Beccles Medical Centre to 96% at Dr Castle & Partners, Sole Bay Health Centre, with a median of 83% (England: 77%). 2 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Dr Castle & Partners, Sole Bay Health Centre has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (96%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Castle & Partners, Sole Bay Health Centre | 5,337 | 96% | 96% | Outstanding | 1,525 |
| Cutlers Hill Surgery | 10,694 | 85% | 87% | Good | 6,076 |
| Bungay Medical Practice | 11,592 | 83% | 82% | Good | 1,580 |
| Longshore Surgeries | 6,369 | 81% | 79% | Good | 1,896 |
| Beccles Medical Centre | 19,141 | 73% | 43% | Good | 2,837 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 584 responses, against Norfolk and Suffolk and England.
| Survey question | South Waveney PCN | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 81% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 71% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 59% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 58% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 90% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 81% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 74% | 74% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 93% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 94% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 95% | 92% | 90% |
There are 2,340 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in South Waveney PCN, close to England's 2,171 and Norfolk and Suffolk's 2,133. Practices recorded 731 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 73% of them face to face. 37% 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 0.7% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | South Waveney PCN | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 2,340 | 2,133 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 731 | 578 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 73% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 37% | 42% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 34% | 25% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in South Waveney PCN is atrial fibrillation (3.8% against 2.2%), and the furthest below is osteoporosis (1.0% against 1.2%).
| Condition register | Age group | South Waveney PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 20.7% | 15.2% | 11,071 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 15.6% | 14.3% | 7,077 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.5% | 7.9% | 4,364 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.5% | 6.6% | 4,345 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.9% | 4.6% | 3,131 |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.0% | 3.8% | 3,221 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.7% | 3.0% | 2,526 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.8% | 2.2% | 2,047 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.0% | 1.9% | 1,614 |
| COPD | All ages | 2.6% | 1.9% | 1,390 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.9% | 1.1% | 989 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.2% | 1.0% | 661 |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.2% | 0.8% | 620 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% | 505 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.0% | 1.2% | 300 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% | 490 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 378 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 438 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 420 |
- East Suffolk PCN (10 practices)
- Lowestoft PCN (7 practices)
- North East Coastal PCN (2 practices)
- Orwell PCN (3 practices)
- The Deben Health Group PCN (4 practices)
- Wolsey PCN (3 practices)
Which practices are in South Waveney PCN?
Beccles Medical Centre, Bungay Medical Practice, Cutlers Hill Surgery, Dr Castle & Partners, Sole Bay Health Centre and Longshore Surgeries.
How do patients rate South Waveney PCN?
81% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, above the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does South Waveney PCN cover?
53,133 registered patients across 5 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does South Waveney PCN have?
2,340 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.