West Somerset PCN: primary care network practices and patient survey
West Somerset PCN is a primary care network of 4 GP practices with 33,729 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 80% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England. Its practices have 2,239 patients per qualified GP (England: 2,171).
Latest data: September 2026. Registered patients September 2026; GP Patient Survey 2026.
Across the 4 practices in West Somerset PCN with survey results, the share of patients describing their overall experience as good ranges from 60% at Minehead Medical Centre to 92% at Exmoor Medical Centre, with a median of 91% (England: 77%). 3 are above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error. Exmoor Medical Centre has the highest share finding it easy to get through by phone (93%, England 57%).
| Practice | Registered patients | Overall experience good | Easy to contact by phone | CQC rating | Patients per GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exmoor Medical Centre | 3,875 | 92% | 93% | Outstanding | 1,204 |
| Dunster Surgery | 8,625 | 91% | 92% | Outstanding | 1,878 |
| West Somerset Healthcare | 10,725 | 90% | 78% | Good | 1,862 |
| Minehead Medical Centre | 10,504 | 60% | 25% | – | 7,034 |
Results for the network as a whole, from 457 responses, against Somerset and England.
| Survey question | West Somerset PCN | Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 80% | 79% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 67% | 60% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 48% | 61% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 65% | 59% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 91% | 87% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 81% | 75% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 68% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 91% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 91% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 96% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 94% | 91% | 90% |
There are 2,239 registered patients per full-time-equivalent qualified GP in West Somerset PCN, close to England's 2,171 and Somerset's 1,975. Practices recorded 591 appointments a month per 1,000 patients (England: 510), 70% of them face to face. 38% of appointments took place on the day they were booked (England: 45%).
37% of registered patients are aged 65 or over (England: 19%). Lists shrank by 1.2% over the year (England: shrank 1.1%).
| Measure | West Somerset PCN | Somerset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patients per qualified GP | 2,239 | 1,975 | 2,171 |
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 591 | 494 | 510 |
| Face-to-face appointments | 70% | 65% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 38% | 41% | 45% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 4% | 4% |
| Patients aged 65 or over | 37% | 26% | 19% |
Relative to England, the register furthest above England's rate at practices in West Somerset PCN is atrial fibrillation (4.7% against 2.2%), and the furthest below is serious mental illness (0.9% against 1.0%).
| Condition register | Age group | West Somerset PCN (2024/25) | England | Patients on register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 23.8% | 15.2% | 8,125 |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 15.2% | 14.3% | 4,469 |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.1% | 7.9% | 2,698 |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.9% | 6.6% | 2,574 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.1% | 4.6% | 2,094 |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.9% | 3.8% | 2,356 |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 5.3% | 3.0% | 1,797 |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 4.7% | 2.2% | 1,587 |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.5% | 1.9% | 1,178 |
| COPD | All ages | 2.8% | 1.9% | 950 |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 2.4% | 1.2% | 478 |
| Heart failure | All ages | 2.2% | 1.1% | 749 |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.2% | 0.8% | 396 |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% | 320 |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.0% | 0.6% | 354 |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% | 294 |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% | 319 |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% | 314 |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% | 279 |
- Bridgwater PCN (9 practices)
- Chard, Ilminster & Langport (Click) PCN (5 practices)
- Mendip PCN (5 practices)
- North Sedgemoor PCN (4 practices)
- South Somerset East - Rpn PCN (5 practices)
- Taunton Central PCN (5 practices)
- Taunton Deane West PCN (2 practices)
- Tone Valley PCN (5 practices)
- West Mendip PCN (5 practices)
- Yeovil PCN (4 practices)
Which practices are in West Somerset PCN?
Dunster Surgery, Exmoor Medical Centre, Minehead Medical Centre and West Somerset Healthcare.
How do patients rate West Somerset PCN?
80% described their overall experience as good in the 2026 GP Patient Survey, against 77% across England.
How many patients does West Somerset PCN cover?
33,729 registered patients across 4 practices in September 2026.
How many patients per GP does West Somerset PCN have?
2,239 per full-time-equivalent qualified GP, against 2,171 across England.