West Norfolk Coastal PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
West Norfolk Coastal PCN is a primary care network of 5 GP practices with 26,567 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 79% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England. Its practices have 1,554 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 5 practices in West Norfolk Coastal PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 67% at Heacham Group Practice to 90% at Wells Health Centre, with a median of 83% (England: 77%). 2 are above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error. The Burnhams Surgery has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (89%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Health Centre | 3,298 | 90% | 85% | Outstanding | 1,903 |
| Great Massingham Surgery | 6,425 | 88% | 85% | Good | 1,389 |
| The Burnhams Surgery | 3,952 | 83% | 89% | Good | 1,425 |
| Grimston Medical Centre | 5,326 | 77% | 68% | Good | 2,350 |
| Heacham Group Practice | 7,566 | 67% | 49% | Requires improvement | 1,329 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 594 responses, against Norfolk and Suffolk and England.
| Survey question | West Norfolk Coastal PCN | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 79% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 72% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 67% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 60% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 88% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 82% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 77% | 74% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 89% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 88% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 91% | 92% | 90% |
There are 1,554 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in West Norfolk Coastal PCN, fewer than England's 2,171 and Norfolk and Suffolk's 2,133. Practices recorded 730 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 87% of them face to face. 44% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
36% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 0.3% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | West Norfolk Coastal PCN | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 1,554 | 2,133 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 730 | 578 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 87% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 44% | 42% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 3% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 36% | 25% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in West Norfolk Coastal PCN is stroke and tia (4.0% against 1.9%), and the furthest below is osteoporosis (0.3% against 1.2%).
| Condition register | Age group | West Norfolk Coastal PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 23.8% | 15.2% | 6,332 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.7% | 14.3% | 3,362 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 10.3% | 7.9% | 2,391 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.9% | 6.6% | 2,279 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 8.2% | 4.6% | 1,887 |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.5% | 3.8% | 1,726 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 5.4% | 3.0% | 1,441 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 4.5% | 2.2% | 1,207 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 4.0% | 1.9% | 1,066 |
| COPD | All ages | 3.1% | 1.9% | 832 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.8% | 1.1% | 478 |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.4% | 0.8% | 365 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.3% | 0.8% | 299 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% | 252 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% | 177 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 199 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 197 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% | 196 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.3% | 1.2% | 49 |
- Fens & Brecks PCN (6 practices)
- Kings Lynn PCN (4 practices)
- North Norfolk 1 PCN (3 practices)
- North Norfolk 2 PCN (4 practices)
- North Norfolk 4 PCN (6 practices)
- Swaffham & Downham Market PCN (7 practices)
Which practices are in West Norfolk Coastal PCN?
Great Massingham Surgery, Grimston Medical Centre, Heacham Group Practice, The Burnhams Surgery and Wells Health Centre.
How do patients rate West Norfolk Coastal PCN?
79% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, against 77% across England.
How many patients does West Norfolk Coastal PCN cover?
26,567 registered patients across 5 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does West Norfolk Coastal PCN have?
1,554 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.