Downlands Medical Centre, Polegate: patient reviews and CQC rating
Downlands Medical Centre is a GP practice in Polegate with 10,106 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% (Surrey and Sussex: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in September 2016. It has 4.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,391 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Downlands Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who said their needs were met at their last appointment: 99%, above the England figure of 90%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 23%, below the England figure of 54%. Of the 11 results in the table, 1 is above England and 5 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 5 within it.
30% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 16 points higher than in 2025 (52%). 109 patients answered the survey (response rate 32%).
| Survey question | Downlands Medical Centre | Surrey and Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 68% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 30% | 55% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 42% | 59% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 23% | 54% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 86% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 62% | 73% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 51% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 90% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 90% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 99% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 96% of 454 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Downlands Medical Centre is Good, published in September 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
10,106 patients were registered at Downlands Medical Centre in September 2026, almost the same as a year earlier.
33% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 4.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,391 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Surrey and Sussex's 2,031. The practice also has 2.7 nurses and 2.6 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 4.3 | 4.3 |
| August 2024 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| August 2025 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| August 2026 | 4.2 | 4.2 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 6,060 appointments a month, or 600 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 90% were face to face (England: 63%). 28% took place on the day they were booked and 18% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
59% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Downlands Medical Centre | Surrey and Sussex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 600 | 521 | 510 |
| Face to face | 90% | 58% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 28% | 45% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 18% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for chronic kidney disease (11.4% against 4.6%), atrial fibrillation (5.3% against 2.2%) and cancer (6.8% against 3.8%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 12.8 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.4 years for women and 80.3 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 21.9% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 18.6% | 14.3% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 11.4% | 4.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.0% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.3% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.8% | 3.8% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 5.3% | 2.2% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 5.0% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.3% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.8% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.6% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.4% | 1.2% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.4% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 79.4% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 83.7% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 81.1% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 80.9% | 74.9% |
Downlands Medical Centre, 77 High Street, Polegate, BN26 6AE. Phone: 01323 482323. Website: www.downlandsmedicalcentre.nhs.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Manor Park Medical Centre | 0.4 km | 60% |
| Stone Cross Surgery | 3.3 km | 73% |
| Park Practice | 3.9 km | 73% |
| Bridgeside Surgery | 4.4 km | 61% |
| Victoria Medical Centre | 5.1 km | 82% |
- Manor Park Medical Centre (60% overall experience good)
- Victoria Medical Centre (82% overall experience good)
- Vita Healthcare - Grove Road Surgery (75% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Downlands Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 68% of patients described their overall experience of Downlands Medical Centre as good, below the England figure of 77%. 30% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Downlands Medical Centre?
10,106 patients were registered in September 2026, down 0.3% on a year earlier.
What is Downlands Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in September 2016.
How many GPs does Downlands Medical Centre have?
4.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,391 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Downlands Medical Centre face to face?
90% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Downlands Medical Centre's phone number?
01323 482323.