GP surgery in St Mary Cray

Poverest Medical Centre

42 Poverest Road, St. Mary Cray, Orpington, BR5 2DQ

Taking on new patientsInspection: Good8,182 patients

Scores 2 out of 100, poor for a GP surgery in England. 61% of patients say their experience is good and 38% find it easy to get through on the phone (England: 77% and 57%). Inspectors rated it Good in 2018. It is taking on new patients.

Poor Scores higher than 2% of GP surgeries in England. 4th of 4 in St Mary Cray Based on 103 patient survey replies, the inspection rating and NHS records.

How the score breaks down

Each line is a score out of 100. The England average is 50 and higher is better. How it works

Getting an appointment 5

  • Easy to get through on the phone12
  • Easy to contact online11
  • Good experience of getting in touch8
  • Did not wait too long for the appointment10

Quality of care 2

  • Patients rate the surgery as good8
  • Patients got what they needed2
  • Doctors and nurses listen5
  • Patients trust the staff2
  • Inspection rating (Good)50
  • Health checks and screening done16
  • Meets NHS clinical targets20
  • Children vaccinated on time16

What patients say

103 patients answered the 2026 NHS survey about this surgery.

38%

find the phone easy

well below the England average (57%)

61%

say their experience is good

well below the England average (77%)

+11

change since last year

2025: 51% · 2026: 61%

Getting in touch

Contacted the surgery by phone41%
Had their call answered straight away9%
Gave up or got no answer5%
Knew what would happen next straight away55%

The appointment

Were seen the same day11%
Waited more than a week37%
Were seen face to face67%
Saw a GP (rather than a nurse or other staff)67%
All survey questions, compared with England
What patients saidThis surgeryEnglandLast year
Getting in touch
Easy to get through by phone 38% 57% 37%
Easy to contact via website 37% 58% 27%
Easy to contact via NHS App 34% 54% 32%
Reception staff helpful 72% 85% 61%
Seeing the same person
Has a preferred clinician 36% 31% 43%
Sees preferred clinician 24% 42% 18%
What happened when they got in touch
Knew what would happen next 70% 84% 64%
Next steps within 2 days 88% 93% 82%
Good experience of contacting 55% 73% 42%
The appointment
Offered a choice of time or day 40% 57% 24%
Waiting time was about right 53% 69% 30%
Remote appointment 33% 26% 47%
The doctor or nurse
Good at listening 75% 87% 67%
Treated with care and concern 74% 86% 67%
Considered mental wellbeing 65% 75% 50%
Had all the information needed 87% 92% 79%
Confidence and trust 81% 93% 79%
Involved in decisions 76% 92% 77%
Needs were met 76% 90% 79%
Overall
Overall experience good 61% 77% 51%
Living with a long-term condition
Confident managing conditions 73% 79% 67%
Supported by local services 43% 70% 46%
Discussed managing condition 28% 43% 28%
Agreed a care plan 38% 46% 43%

Green means at least 2 points better than England, red at least 2 points worse. With about 103 replies, a gap of a few points may just be chance.

What patients tell us

From people who use this surgery. Official data cannot tell you these things.

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1 of 10Last time you needed a routine appointment, how long did you wait?

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Opening times and contact

Monday8am to 6:30pm
Tuesday8am to 6:30pm
Wednesday8am to 6:30pm
Thursday8am to 6:30pm
Friday8am to 6:30pm
SaturdayClosed
SundayClosed

Confirmed by the surgery on 8 March 2017. Bank holidays may differ.

Address
42 Poverest Road, St. Mary Cray, Orpington, BR5 2DQ
Phone
01689 833643
Online
Book, order repeat prescriptions and see records in the NHS App
Works with
The Crays Collaborative PCN (a group of local surgeries that share services)
NHS code
G84007 · NHS profile

Access and facilities

  • Disabled parking
  • Disabled toilet
  • Step-free access
  • Wheelchair access
  • Disabled parking

Pins show each surgery's score. Get directions

Inspection rating

By the Care Quality Commission, the NHS regulator

Good

overall, from the inspection published 18 June 2018

This rating is 8 years old. The CQC has not published a newer inspection.

Read the inspection report

The five questions inspectors ask

Is it safe?Good
Is it effective?Good
Is it caring?Good
Is it responsive?Good
Is it well-led?Good

About the patients

NHS records for the people registered here

8,182registered patients
Averagehow well off the local area is
83.9years life expectancy locally (England 83.0)

Common health conditions

ConditionHereEngland
Hypertension15.7%15.2%
Diabetes8.3%7.9%
Asthma6.1%6.6%
COPD1.6%1.9%
Coronary heart disease2.8%3.0%
Depression15.9%14.3%
Obesity16.6%13.9%
Smoking13.9%13.5%

Health checks done

CheckHereEngland
Cervical screening, women 25-4973%67%
Cervical screening, women 50-6475%75%
Blood pressure controlled (hypertension, under 80)64%68%
Blood pressure checked in last 5 years (45+)89%87%
Diabetes: blood pressure on target68%75%
Diabetes: blood sugar (HbA1c) on target48%57%
Diabetes: annual foot check76%78%
Asthma: annual review56%66%

Other surgeries nearby

All surgeries in St Mary Cray →

SurgeryDistanceScoreEasy by phoneRated goodNew patients
Poverest Medical Centrethis surgery238%61%Yes
Crescent SurgeryOrpington, BR5 2DD0.2 miles452%55%Yes
St Mary Cray PracticeOrpington, BR5 4AR0.6 miles4264%77%Yes
Ballater SurgeryOrpington, BR6 0DP0.6 miles3661%71%Yes
Derry Downs SurgeryOrpington, BR5 4DU0.7 miles7175%84%Yes
Broomwood Health CentreOrpington, BR5 2JP0.9 miles1855%73%Yes
Gillmans Road SurgeryOrpington, BR5 4LA1.0 miles7087%87%Yes
Tudor Way SurgeryOrpington, BR5 1LH1.0 miles845%58%Yes
Knoll Medical PracticeOrpington, BR6 0FE1.0 miles1135%68%Yes
Whitehouse SurgeryOrpington, BR5 1EL1.1 miles655%54%Yes

St Mary Cray Practice is 0.6 miles away, scores 42 and is taking on new patients. You can usually join any surgery that covers your address.

Common questions

Is Poverest Medical Centre taking on new patients?

Yes. When we last checked its page on the NHS website (20 September 2026), Poverest Medical Centre was taking on new patients. You can register online through the NHS website or call the surgery on 01689 833643.

How do patients rate Poverest Medical Centre?

In the 2026 NHS GP Patient Survey, 61% of patients at Poverest Medical Centre said their overall experience was good. The England average is 77%. 38% found it easy to get through by phone (England 57%). Its GPScore is 2 out of 100, grade E, which puts it in the bottom 20% of GP surgeries in England.

What is the inspection rating for Poverest Medical Centre?

The Care Quality Commission, which inspects GP surgeries in England, rated Poverest Medical Centre as Good at its last published inspection (report published 18 June 2018).

What are the opening times of Poverest Medical Centre?

Reception is open Monday 8am to 6:30pm, Tuesday 8am to 6:30pm, Wednesday 8am to 6:30pm, Thursday 8am to 6:30pm, Friday 8am to 6:30pm, Saturday closed, Sunday closed. The surgery last confirmed these times on 8 March 2017. Bank holidays may differ.

How do I contact Poverest Medical Centre?

Call 01689 833643. You can also book and order repeat prescriptions in the NHS App. The address is 42 Poverest Road, St. Mary Cray, Orpington, BR5 2DQ.

How many patients are registered at Poverest Medical Centre?

Around 8,182 patients are registered (January 2025). The surgery is part of The Crays Collaborative PCN, a group of local surgeries that share staff and services, in the South East London NHS area.

Where this comes from: the 2026 NHS GP Patient Survey, Care Quality Commission ratings, NHS records of patients, conditions, checks and vaccinations (published through OHID Fingertips), and this surgery's page on the NHS website (checked 20 September 2026). Read how the score is worked out. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.