Dr Chidambaram Balachander, Rochester: patient reviews and CQC rating
Dr Chidambaram Balachander is a GP practice in Rochester with 4,196 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 82% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Kent and Medway: 73%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in December 2019. It has 2.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,105 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Dr Chidambaram Balachander
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 86%, above the England figure of 57%. Its result closest to England is the share who said they were treated with care and concern: 87%, against 86% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 6 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 5 within it.
On overall experience it is 2nd of the 11 practices in Rochester with 50 or more responses. 86% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is unchanged from 2025 (82%). 95 patients answered the survey (response rate 28%).
| Survey question | Dr Chidambaram Balachander | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 82% | 73% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 86% | 48% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 66% | 52% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 78% | 50% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 96% | 82% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 90% | 67% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 89% | 65% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 95% | 85% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 87% | 84% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 95% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 96% of 99 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Dr Chidambaram Balachander is Good, published in December 2019. All 5 key questions are rated Good. Its previous overall rating was Requires Improvement (January 2019).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
4,196 patients were registered at Dr Chidambaram Balachander in September 2026, down 3.9% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
18% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,105 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Kent and Medway's 2,419. The practice also has 0.4 nurses (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 1.4 | 2.4 |
| August 2024 | 1.4 | 3.5 |
| August 2025 | 2.0 | 2.0 |
| August 2026 | 2.0 | 3.9 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 1,152 appointments a month, or 275 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 60% were face to face (England: 63%). 63% took place on the day they were booked and 3% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
79% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Dr Chidambaram Balachander | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 275 | 457 | 510 |
| Face to face | 60% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 63% | 41% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 3% | 7% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for osteoporosis (2.4% against 1.2%) and depression (17.3% against 14.3%). It has a lower share for COPD (1.3% against 1.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 19.7 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 82.5 years for women and 78.5 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 17.3% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 14.9% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.6% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.1% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.0% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.8% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.7% | 3.0% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 2.4% | 1.2% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.4% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.4% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.3% | 1.1% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.3% | 1.9% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 74.0% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 78.0% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 77.8% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 81.3% | 74.9% |
98% of the practice's patients live in the ME1 postcode district. 91% live in Medway, the council area the practice is in.
| Postcode district | Registered patients | Share |
|---|---|---|
| ME1 | 4,130 | 98% |
Dr Chidambaram Balachander, 25 Wouldham Road, Rochester, ME1 3JY. Phone: 01634 408765.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Thorndike Surgery | 1.7 km | 43% |
| City Way Surgery | 2.0 km | 54% |
| Marlowe Park Medical Centre | 2.0 km | 67% |
| Court View Surgery | 2.3 km | 67% |
| Maidstone Road Surgery | 2.7 km | 52% |
- Apex Medical Practice (64% overall experience good)
- City Way Surgery (54% overall experience good)
- Court View Surgery (67% overall experience good)
- Riverside Medical Practice (88% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Dr Chidambaram Balachander?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 82% of patients described their overall experience of Dr Chidambaram Balachander as good, against 77% across England. 86% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Dr Chidambaram Balachander?
4,196 patients were registered in September 2026, down 3.9% on a year earlier.
What is Dr Chidambaram Balachander's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in December 2019.
How many GPs does Dr Chidambaram Balachander have?
2.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,105 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Dr Chidambaram Balachander face to face?
60% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Dr Chidambaram Balachander's phone number?
01634 408765.