The Cedars Surgery, Swanley: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Cedars Surgery is a GP practice in Swanley with 24,939 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 73% 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 2018. It has 8.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 3,043 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Cedars Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 78%, against 69% across England. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 36%, below the England figure of 57%. Of the 11 results in the table, 0 are above England and 3 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 8 within it.
36% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 8 points higher than in 2025 (65%). 112 patients answered the survey (response rate 25%).
| Survey question | The Cedars Surgery | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 73% | 73% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 36% | 48% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 54% | 52% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 53% | 50% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 76% | 82% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 62% | 67% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 78% | 65% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 83% | 85% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 85% | 84% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 88% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 90% of 1,253 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for The Cedars Surgery is Good, published in December 2018. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (March 2015).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
24,939 patients were registered at The Cedars Surgery in September 2026, up 0.8% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
21% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 8.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 3,043 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Kent and Medway's 2,419. The practice also has 2.9 nurses and 11.9 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.3 | 4.1 |
| August 2024 | 3.3 | 4.4 |
| August 2025 | 7.4 | 8.3 |
| August 2026 | 8.2 | 9.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 11,348 appointments a month, or 455 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 78% were face to face (England: 63%). 22% took place on the day they were booked and 6% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
35% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 7% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Cedars Surgery | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 455 | 457 | 510 |
| Face to face | 78% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 22% | 41% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 6% | 7% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 7% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for depression (19.6% against 14.3%), atrial fibrillation (3.0% against 2.2%) and high blood pressure (19.6% against 15.2%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.7% against 1.2%) and a learning disability (0.4% against 0.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 21.6 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.8 years for women and 79.7 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 19.6% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 19.6% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.7% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.0% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.1% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.7% | 3.8% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.0% | 2.2% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.9% | 3.0% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.1% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.3% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.7% | 1.2% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 70.0% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 68.1% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 71.0% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 74.9% | 74.9% |
The Cedars Surgery, 26 Swanley Centre, Swanley, BR8 7AH. Phone: 01322 663111. Website: www.cedarssurgeryswanley.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Derry Downs Surgery | 4.1 km | 84% |
| St Mary Cray Practice | 4.3 km | 77% |
| Braeside Surgery | 4.5 km | 60% |
| The Broomwood Road Surgery | 4.6 km | 73% |
| The Crescent Surgery | 4.7 km | 55% |
- Braeside Surgery (60% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Cedars Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 73% of patients described their overall experience of The Cedars Surgery as good, against 77% across England. 36% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Cedars Surgery?
24,939 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.8% on a year earlier.
What is The Cedars Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in December 2018.
How many GPs does The Cedars Surgery have?
8.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (11 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 3,043 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Cedars Surgery face to face?
78% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Cedars Surgery's phone number?
01322 663111.