Fairhill Medical Practice faces criticism as patient satisfaction falls sharply

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By Alice Pewter

Fairhill Medical Practice’s Kingston Hill branch faces growing concern after 2025 NHS survey results showed patient satisfaction falling to 63%, well below the national average of 75%.

The drop comes despite higher, more stable satisfaction during the Covid years, with 84% of patients feeling satisfied with their overall experience at the practice in 2021, raising questions about the quality of care at the practice.

Eve Davis, who attended an appointment at the practice recently, said: “The experience started off bad in the waiting room,” and said that staff “looked at me with an attitude” when she misunderstood the check-in process.

“I had a male doctor, but I had to talk about women things,” said Davis. “I asked for certain tests to be done- I wanted a hormonal test- and he tested me for everything except my hormones.”

Davis was also refused specialist referral and told to book another appointment for further tests, as well as being on a waiting list to be seen by a specialist.

Rose Hardiman attended her first solo GP appointment earlier this year and said that the male doctor had asked inappropriate questions, which friends and family confirmed were highly unprofessional.

“I was then not tested for things that he gave me medication for. I was also misdiagnosed because of this; my problem continued a very long time due to the medication being wrong,” Hardiman said.

Another patient, Ruby Owen felt her appointment was rushed. “He opened my mouth for two seconds, didn’t get a stick, didn’t get a light, he looked in and said, “you’re fine, I can’t help you”. I had tonsillitis.”

NHS survey data shows a fluctuation in Fairhill’s overall patient satisfaction for more than a decade. In 2009, 89% of patients were overall satisfied with their experience, rising slightly to 91% in 2010.

The practice maintained comparatively high ratings during the pandemic, recording 78% in 2020 and 84% in 2021, before a sharper decline in subsequent years.

Satisfaction fell to 73% in 2022, dropped to 59% in 2023, rose slightly to 67% in 2024 before decreasing again this year.

By comparison, neighbouring GP surgeries have performed more strongly in this year’s survey with Churchill Medical Centre recording a 76% satisfaction rate and Kingston Health Centre achieving 83%.

National survey results suggest GP satisfaction across England followed a similar trend, remaining high during the pandemic before declining in subsequent years. Although confidence in services has begun to recover in 2025, national satisfaction levels remain below those seen before Covid.

The GP patient survey measures patients’ experiences of accessing appointments, confidence in doctors, communication, and overall care. It is nationally used to identify areas requiring improvement.

While pressures on primary care have intensified nationwide, Fairhill’s falling satisfaction appears unique locally, suggesting practice-specific issues that risk undermining public confidence and highlighting wider concerns about inconsistent patient experience.

Fairhill Medical Practice was contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.