The Vale PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
The Vale PCN is a primary care network of 2 GP practices with 40,023 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 84% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77%. Its practices have 2,352 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 2 practices in The Vale PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 76% at Gillingham Medical Practice to 87% at The Blackmore Vale Partnership, with a median of 82% (England: 77%). 1 is above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. The Blackmore Vale Partnership has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (68%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Blackmore Vale Partnership | 26,761 | 87% | 68% | Good | 2,224 |
| Gillingham Medical Practice | 13,262 | 76% | 51% | Good | 2,661 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 225 responses, against Dorset and England.
| Survey question | The Vale PCN | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 84% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 62% | 63% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 63% | 65% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 54% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 92% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 80% | 77% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 74% | 67% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 91% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 90% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 97% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 95% | 92% | 90% |
There are 2,352 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in The Vale PCN, close to England's 2,171 and Dorset's 1,904. Practices recorded 700 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 54% of them face to face. 45% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
29% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 0.7% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | The Vale PCN | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 2,352 | 1,904 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 700 | 612 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 54% | 63% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 45% | 43% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 29% | 26% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in The Vale PCN is osteoporosis (2.8% against 1.2%), and the furthest below is depression (12.3% against 14.3%).
| Condition register | Age group | The Vale PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 21.2% | 15.2% | 8,497 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 12.3% | 14.3% | 4,075 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.5% | 7.9% | 2,856 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.7% | 6.6% | 2,949 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.4% | 4.6% | 2,451 |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.1% | 3.8% | 2,460 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.7% | 3.0% | 1,881 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.9% | 2.2% | 1,562 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.9% | 1.9% | 1,176 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 2.8% | 1.2% | 564 |
| COPD | All ages | 2.2% | 1.9% | 878 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 2.1% | 1.1% | 860 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 1.2% | 0.6% | 463 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.0% | 1.0% | 415 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% | 350 |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.0% | 0.8% | 405 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 334 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 318 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 257 |
- Crane Valley PCN (4 practices)
- Jurassic Coast PCN (3 practices)
- Mid Dorset PCN (8 practices)
- Purbeck PCN (6 practices)
- Sarum West PCN (6 practices)
- Sherborne Area PCN (3 practices)
- Weymouth & Portland PCN (5 practices)
- Wimborne & Ferndown PCN (4 practices)
Which practices are in The Vale PCN?
Gillingham Medical Practice and The Blackmore Vale Partnership.
How do patients rate The Vale PCN?
84% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, above the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does The Vale PCN cover?
40,023 registered patients across 2 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does The Vale PCN have?
2,352 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.