Ilkeston’s Eden Surgery has been named the town’s highest-rated GP practice for helpful reception staff – with an impressive 96% of patients describing the team as helpful.
The results come from the latest NHS GP Patient Survey (2025), which asked people across England how easy it is to contact their surgery and how they’re treated once they do.
Eden didn’t just lead locally – its score places it among Derbyshire’s Top 15 GP practices for reception helpfulness, and it also ranked highest in Ilkeston for phone access.
📞 Getting through on the phone
For many patients, the biggest challenge is simply getting through. Across England, just over half (53%) of patients say it’s easy to reach their surgery by phone.
In Ilkeston, that figure varies widely:
Eden Surgery: 90% find it easy to get through South Street Surgery: 85% Gladstone House Surgery: 68% Old Station Surgery: 51% Littlewick Medical Centre: 37%
All five surgeries scored above the national average for how helpful their reception teams are – showing that once people do get through, most are treated with kindness and care.
💬 What patients said
Patients at Eden Surgery praised staff for being “friendly, patient and professional”, with many saying they appreciate the personal touch and clear communication.
The practice also scored well in other areas of the survey, including listening skills, trust in healthcare professionals, and overall experience – giving it one of the most positive patient profiles in the area.
🗣 Have your say
Do these results reflect your own experience?
Have you found it easy to contact your GP, or is it still a daily battle to get an appointment?
Share your thoughts in the comments below – and if your local surgery has gone the extra mile, give their team a shout-out.