The Apples Medical Centre, Sherborne: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Apples Medical Centre is a GP practice in Sherborne with 5,260 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 88% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Dorset: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in September 2016. It has 2.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,793 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Apples Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 81%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 53%, against 54% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 5 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 6 within it.
On overall experience it is 4th of the 4 practices in Sherborne with 50 or more responses. 81% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 1 point higher than in 2025 (87%). 105 patients answered the survey (response rate 38%).
| Survey question | The Apples Medical Centre | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 88% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 81% | 63% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 63% | 65% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 53% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 91% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 85% | 77% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 75% | 67% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 95% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 94% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 96% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 96% | 92% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 97% of 93 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for The Apples Medical Centre is Good, published in September 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (November 2015).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
5,260 patients were registered at The Apples Medical Centre in September 2026, down 4.2% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
40% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,793 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Dorset's 1,904. The practice also has 3.3 nurses and 5.8 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| August 2024 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| August 2025 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| August 2026 | 2.9 | 2.9 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 4,544 appointments a month, or 864 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 76% were face to face (England: 63%). 39% took place on the day they were booked and 11% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
32% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 2% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Apples Medical Centre | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 864 | 612 | 510 |
| Face to face | 76% | 63% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 39% | 43% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 11% | 10% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for atrial fibrillation (4.7% against 2.2%), dementia (1.6% against 0.8%) and peripheral arterial disease (1.1% against 0.6%). It has a lower share for depression (9.9% against 14.3%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 15.1 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 85.1 years for women and 81.1 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 21.6% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 9.9% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.9% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 8.3% | 4.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.1% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.7% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.8% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 4.7% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.9% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.8% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.6% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.5% | 1.2% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.8% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 78.3% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 76.7% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 79.2% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 80.3% | 74.9% |
The Apples Medical Centre, East Mill Lane, Sherborne, DT9 3DG. Phone: 01935 812633. Website: www.sherborneapples.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Grove Medical Centre | 0.7 km | 92% |
| Milborne Port Surgery | 3.4 km | 92% |
| Oaklands Surgery | 7.7 km | 49% |
| Yetminster Health Centre | 7.7 km | 96% |
| Penn Hill Surgery | 8.8 km | 74% |
- The Grove Medical Centre (92% overall experience good)
- Yetminster Health Centre (96% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Apples Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 88% of patients described their overall experience of The Apples Medical Centre as good, above the England figure of 77%. 81% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Apples Medical Centre?
5,260 patients were registered in September 2026, down 4.2% on a year earlier.
What is The Apples Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in September 2016.
How many GPs does The Apples Medical Centre have?
2.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (4 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,793 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Apples Medical Centre face to face?
76% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Apples Medical Centre's phone number?
01935 812633.