West Berkshire Rural PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
West Berkshire Rural PCN is a primary care network of 3 GP practices with 22,985 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 91% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77%. Its practices have 1,491 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 3 practices in West Berkshire Rural PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 85% at Lambourn Surgery to 97% at Dr Howells & Partners, with a median of 89% (England: 77%). 3 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Dr Howells & Partners has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (92%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Howells & Partners | 9,687 | 97% | 92% | Good | 1,442 |
| Hungerford Surgery | 7,180 | 89% | 91% | Good | 1,889 |
| Lambourn Surgery | 6,118 | 85% | 87% | Good | 1,250 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 320 responses, against Thames Valley and England.
| Survey question | West Berkshire Rural PCN | Thames Valley | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 91% | 76% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 90% | 56% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 80% | 57% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 77% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 95% | 84% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 87% | 72% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 75% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 92% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 91% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 96% | 90% | 90% |
There are 1,491 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in West Berkshire Rural PCN, fewer than England's 2,171 and Thames Valley's 2,121. Practices recorded 501 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 68% of them face to face. 37% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
26% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 0.5% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | West Berkshire Rural PCN | Thames Valley | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 1,491 | 2,121 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 501 | 451 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 68% | 60% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 37% | 45% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 5% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 26% | 18% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in West Berkshire Rural PCN is dementia (1.1% against 0.8%), and the furthest below is osteoporosis (0.7% against 1.2%).
| Condition register | Age group | West Berkshire Rural PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 17.6% | 15.2% | 4,049 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 10.2% | 14.3% | 1,938 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.3% | 6.6% | 1,599 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.6% | 7.9% | 1,273 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 6.1% | 4.6% | 1,154 |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.2% | 3.8% | 1,195 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.0% | 2.2% | 701 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.0% | 3.0% | 696 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.1% | 1.9% | 481 |
| COPD | All ages | 1.8% | 1.9% | 414 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.4% | 1.1% | 320 |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.1% | 0.8% | 246 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% | 180 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% | 176 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% | 133 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.7% | 1.2% | 77 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% | 123 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% | 93 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% | 87 |
- A34 West Berkshire PCN (3 practices)
- Ascot PCN (4 practices)
- Caversham PCN (2 practices)
- Kennet PCN (3 practices)
- Locc PCN (4 practices)
- Maidenhead PCN (9 practices)
- West Reading Villages PCN (4 practices)
- Windsor PCN (6 practices)
Which practices are in West Berkshire Rural PCN?
Dr Howells & Partners, Hungerford Surgery and Lambourn Surgery.
How do patients rate West Berkshire Rural PCN?
91% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, above the England figure of 77%.
How many patients does West Berkshire Rural PCN cover?
22,985 registered patients across 3 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does West Berkshire Rural PCN have?
1,491 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.