Strood PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
Strood PCN is a primary care network of 5 GP practices with 41,789 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 2,812 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 5 practices in Strood PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 54% at City Way Surgery to 88% at Riverside Medical Practice, with a median of 67% (England: 77%). 1 is above England and 3 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Dr Chidambaram Balachander has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (86%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside Medical Practice | 7,310 | 88% | 86% | Good | 2,117 |
| Dr Chidambaram Balachander | 4,196 | 82% | 86% | Good | 2,105 |
| Court View Surgery | 10,444 | 67% | 35% | Good | 3,376 |
| Apex Medical Practice | 6,721 | 64% | 36% | Good | 4,033 |
| City Way Surgery | 13,118 | 54% | 24% | Requires improvement | 2,817 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 515 responses, against Kent and Medway and England.
| Survey question | Strood PCN | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 68% | 73% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 46% | 48% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 39% | 52% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 39% | 50% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 83% | 82% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 69% | 67% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 68% | 65% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 85% | 85% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 84% | 84% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 93% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 87% | 89% | 90% |
There are 2,812 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in Strood PCN, more than England's 2,171 and Kent and Medway's 2,419. Practices recorded 378 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 70% of them face to face. 36% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
16% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 1.1% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | Strood PCN | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 2,812 | 2,419 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 378 | 457 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 70% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 36% | 41% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 6% | 5% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 16% | 20% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in Strood PCN is learning disability (0.8% against 0.6%), and the furthest below is palliative care (0.3% against 0.6%).
| Condition register | Age group | Strood PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 19.1% | 14.3% | 6,234 |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 15.5% | 15.2% | 6,549 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.5% | 7.9% | 2,811 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 5.9% | 6.6% | 2,328 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.3% | 4.6% | 1,741 |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.6% | 3.8% | 1,526 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.4% | 3.0% | 1,033 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.8% | 2.2% | 783 |
| COPD | All ages | 1.6% | 1.9% | 671 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.5% | 1.2% | 212 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.3% | 1.9% | 553 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.0% | 1.1% | 431 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 280 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 349 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 270 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% | 335 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% | 202 |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.4% | 0.8% | 185 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% | 112 |
- Aspire Medical PCN (5 practices)
- Gillingham South PCN (4 practices)
- Medway Central PCN (2 practices)
- Medway Peninsula PCN (3 practices)
- Medway Rainham PCN (8 practices)
- Medway South PCN (3 practices)
- Mpa PCN (2 practices)
Which practices are in Strood PCN?
Apex Medical Practice, City Way Surgery, Court View Surgery, Dr Chidambaram Balachander and Riverside Medical Practice.
How do patients rate Strood PCN?
68% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, below the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does Strood PCN cover?
41,789 registered patients across 5 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does Strood PCN have?
2,812 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.