Westgate Surgery, Westgate-on-Sea: patient reviews and CQC rating
Westgate Surgery is a GP practice in Westgate-on-Sea with 9,839 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 91% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Kent and Medway: 73%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in March 2017. It has 3.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,764 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Westgate Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 75%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 56%, against 58% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 4 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 7 within it.
75% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 6 points higher than in 2025 (85%). 121 patients answered the survey (response rate 37%).
| Survey question | Westgate Surgery | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 91% | 73% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 75% | 48% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 56% | 52% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 68% | 50% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 90% | 82% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 88% | 67% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 78% | 65% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 93% | 85% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 92% | 84% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 97% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 92% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 95% of 628 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Westgate Surgery is Good, published in March 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (October 2016).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
9,839 patients were registered at Westgate Surgery in September 2026, down 2.3% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
28% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,764 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Kent and Medway's 2,419. The practice also has 2.3 nurses and 2.2 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| August 2024 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| August 2025 | 4.6 | 4.6 |
| August 2026 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,120 appointments a month, or 520 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 84% were face to face (England: 63%). 25% took place on the day they were booked and 12% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
33% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 5% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Westgate Surgery | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 520 | 457 | 510 |
| Face to face | 84% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 25% | 41% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 12% | 7% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for COPD (4.1% against 1.9%), peripheral arterial disease (1.0% against 0.6%) and cancer (6.2% against 3.8%). It has a lower share for palliative or supportive care needs (0.2% against 0.6%) and osteoporosis (0.6% against 1.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 22.5 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 81.3 years for women and 78.9 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 21.8% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 20.3% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.9% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.7% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.2% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.8% | 4.6% |
| COPD | All ages | 4.1% | 1.9% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.0% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.4% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.2% | 1.0% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.0% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.6% | 1.2% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 78.6% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 75.9% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 74.8% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 80.0% | 74.9% |
Westgate Surgery, 60 Westgate Bay Avenue, Westgate-on-Sea, CT8 8SN. Phone: 01843 831335. Website: www.westgatesurgery.nhs.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Birchington Medical Centre | 2.9 km | 71% |
| The Limes Medical Centre | 3.4 km | 72% |
| Northdown and Dashwood Surgery | 4.7 km | 75% |
| The Bethesda Medical Centre | 5.4 km | 69% |
| St Peters Surgery | 5.4 km | 70% |
- Ash Surgery (73% overall experience good)
- Broadstairs Medical Practice (80% overall experience good)
- Minster Surgery (77% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Westgate Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 91% of patients described their overall experience of Westgate Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 75% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Westgate Surgery?
9,839 patients were registered in September 2026, down 2.3% on a year earlier.
What is Westgate Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in March 2017.
How many GPs does Westgate Surgery have?
3.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (4 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,764 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Westgate Surgery face to face?
84% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Westgate Surgery's phone number?
01843 831335.