Enter and view: Padstow GP surgery

Healthwatch Cornwall undertook an Enter and View visit to Padstow Medical Centre on 27 July 2026. The visit found that patients were generally very positive about the practice, with 19 of the 20 patients and carers spoken to describing their care in favourable terms. Staff were frequently described as kind, caring, supportive and responsive, and patients praised the quality of care provided by clinicians, reception staff and the social prescribing team. Waiting areas, facilities and information displays were observed to be clean, accessible and well maintained. 

Patients reported mixed preferences regarding the practice's online triage system. Many valued the convenience of online access and said they received appointments quickly, while others found the system confusing and preferred telephone contact. Feedback indicated that support was available for patients who could not or did not wish to use digital services. Patients also appreciated being able to see specific clinicians where appropriate and described positive experiences of continuity of care. 

The main concerns related to access to routine and phlebotomy appointments, with some patients reporting long waits for blood tests and routine care. A small number also raised concerns about communication around waiting times for minor procedures and the need for clearer information about next steps in their care. Despite these issues, patients who had previously made complaints reported that concerns had been addressed satisfactorily. 

Healthwatch Cornwall recommended reviewing access to routine and phlebotomy appointments, maintaining supported non-digital routes into the service, and improving communication with patients awaiting minor procedures. The practice accepted all recommendations and reported that additional clinical staff had been recruited to increase capacity, that support for patients using digital systems would continue, and that communication about waiting times and procedure pathways would be strengthened.