The Wellbridge Practice, Wool Wareham: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Wellbridge Practice is a GP practice in Wool Wareham with 6,026 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 81% 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 February 2017. It has 5.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,199 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Wellbridge Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 76%, above the England figure of 58%. Its weakest is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 60%, below the England figure of 69%. Of the 11 results in the table, 2 are above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 8 within it.
53% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 15 points higher than in 2025 (66%). 116 patients answered the survey (response rate 41%).
| Survey question | The Wellbridge Practice | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 81% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 53% | 63% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 76% | 65% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 54% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 91% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 73% | 77% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 60% | 67% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 83% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 82% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 94% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 96% | 92% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for The Wellbridge Practice is Good, published in February 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
6,026 patients were registered at The Wellbridge Practice in September 2026, down 1.6% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
27% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 5.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,199 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Dorset's 1,904. The practice also has 2.2 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 | 4.1 | 4.1 |
| August 2024 | 3.7 | 4.5 |
| August 2025 | 4.6 | 5.4 |
| August 2026 | 5.0 | 5.0 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,745 appointments a month, or 622 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 58% were face to face (England: 63%). 55% took place on the day they were booked and 8% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
45% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 2% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Wellbridge Practice | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 622 | 612 | 510 |
| Face to face | 58% | 63% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 55% | 43% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 8% | 10% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for chronic kidney disease (8.0% against 4.6%), cancer (5.6% against 3.8%) and atrial fibrillation (3.1% against 2.2%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.2% against 1.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 17.7 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.6 years for women and 80.9 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 16.2% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 15.8% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.5% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 8.0% | 4.6% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.9% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.6% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.8% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.1% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.4% | 1.9% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.2% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 75.9% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 73.9% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 76.2% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 74.4% | 74.9% |
The Wellbridge Practice, Wool Surgery, Meadow Lane, Wool Wareham, BH20 6DR. Phone: 01929 462376. Website: www.wellbridge.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Wareham Surgery | 7.7 km | 80% |
| Bere Regis Surgery | 8.2 km | 91% |
| Sandford Surgery | 9.8 km | 80% |
| Puddletown Surgery | 11.1 km | 97% |
| Corfe Castle Surgery | 12.6 km | 97% |
- Bere Regis Surgery (91% overall experience good)
- Corfe Castle Surgery (97% overall experience good)
- Sandford Surgery (80% overall experience good)
- Swanage Medical Practice (79% overall experience good)
- Wareham Surgery (80% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Wellbridge Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 81% of patients described their overall experience of The Wellbridge Practice as good, against 77% across England. 53% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Wellbridge Practice?
6,026 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.6% on a year earlier.
What is The Wellbridge Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in February 2017.
How many GPs does The Wellbridge Practice have?
5.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (7 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,199 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Wellbridge Practice face to face?
58% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Wellbridge Practice's phone number?
01929 462376.