Sandford Surgery, Wareham: patient reviews and CQC rating
Sandford Surgery is a GP practice in Wareham with 1,907 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 80% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Dorset: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in April 2020.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Sandford Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 76%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who described their last contact with the practice as good: 71%, against 73% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 1 is above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 10 within it.
On overall experience it is 2nd of the 3 practices in Wareham with 50 or more responses. 76% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 8 points higher than in 2025 (72%). 110 patients answered the survey (response rate 39%).
| Survey question | Sandford Surgery | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 80% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 76% | 63% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 70% | 65% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 65% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 89% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 71% | 77% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 68% | 67% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 93% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 92% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 95% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 93% | 92% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Sandford Surgery is Good, published in April 2020. All 5 key questions are rated Good. Its previous overall rating was Requires Improvement (April 2019).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
1,907 patients were registered at Sandford Surgery in September 2026, down 6.3% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| August 2024 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 1,091 appointments a month, or 572 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 72% were face to face (England: 63%). 23% took place on the day they were booked and 8% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
49% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 5% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Sandford Surgery | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 572 | 612 | 510 |
| Face to face | 72% | 63% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 23% | 43% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 8% | 10% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for chronic kidney disease (13.6% against 4.6%), heart failure (2.8% against 1.1%) and peripheral arterial disease (1.1% against 0.6%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.1% against 1.2%). 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 85.4 years for women and 81.8 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 22.7% | 15.2% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 13.6% | 4.6% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 12.8% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 9.8% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.2% | 7.9% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 6.0% | 3.0% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.2% | 3.8% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.3% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 3.3% | 1.9% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.8% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 2.8% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.4% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 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% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.1% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 80.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 83.8% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 81.6% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 83.0% | 74.9% |
Sandford Surgery, 6A Tyneham Close, Sandford, Wareham, BH20 7BQ. Phone: 01929 554490. Website: www.sandfordsurgery.com.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Wareham Surgery | 2.7 km | 80% |
| The Adam Practice | 6.1 km | 71% |
| The Birchwood Practice | 7.7 km | 89% |
| Corfe Castle Surgery | 8.3 km | 97% |
| Dr Newmans Surgery - The Newman Practice | 8.5 km | 91% |
- Bere Regis Surgery (91% overall experience good)
- Corfe Castle Surgery (97% overall experience good)
- Swanage Medical Practice (79% overall experience good)
- The Wellbridge Practice (81% overall experience good)
- Wareham Surgery (80% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Sandford Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 80% of patients described their overall experience of Sandford Surgery as good, against 77% across England. 76% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Sandford Surgery?
1,907 patients were registered in September 2026, down 6.3% on a year earlier.
What is Sandford Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in April 2020.
Are appointments at Sandford Surgery face to face?
72% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Sandford Surgery's phone number?
01929 554490.