Patients continue to report positive experiences of care across Surrey and Sussex | News centre

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Patients continue to report positive experiences of care across Surrey and Sussex

Image showing a GP smiling and talking to a patient

Patients in Sussex and Surrey reported positive experiences with General Practice, Pharmacy, and Dentistry in the annual GP Patient Satisfaction Survey .  

More than 29,000 people took part in the survey, which revealed that patients across Surrey and Sussex continue to report positive experiences of local healthcare services, with the latest results showing strong levels of satisfaction and trust in healthcare professionals.  

The 2026 survey found that 78% of patients rated their overall experience of their GP practice as good, placing Surrey and Sussex  ahead of the national average for overall satisfaction  

The results also show high levels of confidence in healthcare staff, with 94% of patients saying they had trust and confidence in the healthcare professional they saw, above the national average of 93%.  

Patients reported positive experiences in several key areas of care. Nearly three-quarters (73%) said they had a good experience of contacting their GP practice, while community pharmacy services also received high ratings, with 89% of people describing their experience as good.  

The survey highlighted particularly strong results for dental services, where 75% of local people reported a good overall experience of NHS dentistry, compared with a national average of 73%.  

The results reflect the continued commitment of healthcare teams across Surrey and Sussex to providing high-quality, patient-centred care.  

The findings come shortly after the creation of NHS Surrey and Sussex in April 2026, which brought together the former Surrey Heartlands and Sussex health systems into a single organisation. As NHS Surrey and Sussex is a new organisation, direct comparisons with previous years are not possible. However, the results show that performance across the new health system remains strong and is broadly in line with, or better than, the results reported by the two organisations separately in previous years.  

A spokesperson for NHS Surrey and Sussex said:  

“These results are a testament to the hard work and dedication of our primary care teams across general practice, community  pharmacy  and dentistry, who work every day to provide high-quality care for local people. 

We are pleased to see continued improvements in patient satisfaction, reflecting the focus we have placed on listening to patient feedback and responding to areas where people told us services could be better.  

While we know there is more to do, these results are encouraging and  demonstrate  the progress being made to improve primary care services and patient experience across Surrey and Sussex.”    

Key findings:  

  • 78% rated their overall experience of their GP practice as good  

  • 94% had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw  

  • 91% said their needs were met during their last appointment  

  • 89% reported a good overall experience of pharmacy services

  • 75% rated their experience of NHS dental services as good, above the national average  

  • 73% had a good experience of contacting their GP practice  

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