The Chestnuts Surgery, Sittingbourne: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Chestnuts Surgery is a GP practice in Sittingbourne with 9,472 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 64% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77% (Kent and Medway: 73%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in April 2017. It has 2.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 3,871 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Chestnuts Surgery
Its result closest to England is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 90%, against 93% across England. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 27%, below the England figure of 57%. Of the 11 results in the table, 0 are above England and 9 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 2 within it.
On overall experience it is 5th of the 7 practices in Sittingbourne with 50 or more responses. 27% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 8 points higher than in 2025 (56%). 112 patients answered the survey (response rate 29%).
| Survey question | The Chestnuts Surgery | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 64% | 73% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 27% | 48% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 43% | 52% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 36% | 50% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 73% | 82% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 51% | 67% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 50% | 65% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 68% | 85% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 73% | 84% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 90% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 85% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 89% of 99 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for The Chestnuts Surgery is Good, published in April 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good. Its previous overall rating was Requires Improvement (September 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
9,472 patients were registered at The Chestnuts Surgery in September 2026, down 3.1% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
23% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 3,871 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Kent and Medway's 2,419. The practice also has 2.2 nurses and 5.5 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| August 2024 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| August 2025 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| August 2026 | 2.4 | 2.4 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,718 appointments a month, or 393 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 71% were face to face (England: 63%). 31% took place on the day they were booked and 8% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
41% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 6% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Chestnuts Surgery | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 393 | 457 | 510 |
| Face to face | 71% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 31% | 41% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 8% | 7% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 6% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for cancer (5.4% against 3.8%), COPD (2.3% against 1.9%) and high blood pressure (18.4% against 15.2%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.7% against 1.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 24.5 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 82.3 years for women and 78.6 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 18.4% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.6% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.0% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 5.5% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.4% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.2% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.5% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.5% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.7% | 1.2% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 75.2% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 76.6% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 76.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 80.0% | 74.9% |
The Chestnuts Surgery, 70 East Street, Sittingbourne, ME10 4RU. Phone: 01795 423197. Website: www.thechestnutsurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Medic Care Surgery | 0.7 km | 59% |
| Memorial Medical Centre | 0.7 km | 76% |
| The London Road Medical Centre | 1.2 km | 68% |
| Green Porch Medical Centre | 1.9 km | 54% |
| The Meads Medical Practice Limited | 2.3 km | 68% |
- Green Porch Medical Centre (54% overall experience good)
- Grovehurst Surgery (78% overall experience good)
- Memorial Medical Centre (76% overall experience good)
- The Meads Medical Practice Limited (68% overall experience good)
- The Medic Care Surgery (59% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Chestnuts Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 64% of patients described their overall experience of The Chestnuts Surgery as good, below the England figure of 77%. 27% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Chestnuts Surgery?
9,472 patients were registered in September 2026, down 3.1% on a year earlier.
What is The Chestnuts Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in April 2017.
How many GPs does The Chestnuts Surgery have?
2.4 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (3 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 3,871 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Chestnuts Surgery face to face?
71% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Chestnuts Surgery's phone number?
01795 423197.