Southend East PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Southend East PCN is a primary care network of 4 GP practices with 36,271 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 68% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77%. Its practices have 4,104 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 4 practices in Southend East PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 56% at Southend Coastal Surgeries Thorpe Bay to 88% at Dr Kumar, with a median of 71% (England: 77%). 1 is above England and 2 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Shoebury Health Centre has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (79%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Kumar | 8,784 | 88% | 69% | Good | 4,706 |
| Shoebury Health Centre | 4,523 | 83% | 79% | Good | 1,785 |
| Dr Irlam and Partners | 7,599 | 59% | 49% | Requires improvement | 2,570 |
| Southend Coastal Surgeries Thorpe Bay | 15,365 | 56% | 28% | Good | 10,382 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 408 responses, against Essex and England.
| Survey question | Southend East PCN | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 68% | 74% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 49% | 50% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 45% | 56% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 44% | 51% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 75% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 66% | 70% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 69% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 82% | 84% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 80% | 83% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 90% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 86% | 89% | 90% |
There are 4,104 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Southend East PCN, more than England's 2,171 and Essex's 2,514. Practices recorded 285 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 78% of them face to face. 39% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
22% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 1.2% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Southend East PCN | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 4,104 | 2,514 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 285 | 480 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 78% | 69% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 39% | 45% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 3% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 22% | 20% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Southend East PCN is rheumatoid arthritis (1.0% against 0.8%), and the furthest below is osteoporosis (0.3% against 1.2%).
| Condition register | Age group | Southend East PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 16.3% | 15.2% | 5,978 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 13.4% | 14.3% | 3,938 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 7.9% | 7.9% | 2,355 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.8% | 6.6% | 2,370 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.2% | 4.6% | 1,528 |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.4% | 3.8% | 1,254 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.1% | 3.0% | 1,133 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.6% | 2.2% | 939 |
| COPD | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% | 863 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.9% | 1.9% | 689 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.2% | 1.1% | 428 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.2% | 1.0% | 425 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% | 297 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.9% | 0.8% | 313 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 232 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 251 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% | 209 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% | 124 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.3% | 1.2% | 50 |
- Southend Victoria PCN (9 practices)
- Southend West Central PCN (5 practices)
- Ss9 North PCN (3 practices)
- Ss9 South PCN (2 practices)
Which practices are in Southend East PCN?
Dr Irlam and Partners, Dr Kumar, Shoebury Health Centre and Southend Coastal Surgeries Thorpe Bay.
How do patients rate Southend East PCN?
68% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, below the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does Southend East PCN cover?
36,271 registered patients across 4 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Southend East PCN have?
4,104 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.