Braintree's biggest doctors surgery has been voted the worst in the region, according to a new survey of patients.

Based on overall satisfaction, Church Lane Surgery, in Church Lane, was ranked the worst across all surgeries in mid Essex.

A shocking 39 per cent of those surveyed rated the surgery as good, less than half the national average of 84 per cent.

Just seven per cent of people said the surgery was easy to get through to on the phone.

In fact Church Lane, which is run by Virgin Care, was rated as the lowest surgery in mid Essex on all but two of the survey questions.

Virgin’s other surgery in the district, Silver End Surgery, was rated good by 65 per cent of those quizzed - below the average across the Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) of 79 per cent.

A spokesman for Virgin Care said: “Over the last year we have continued to implement improvement plans, recognising and responding to feedback from patients at Church Lane and Silver End surgeries.

“For example we are recruiting permanent GPs, nurses and support staff, we provide more appointments and are making it easier to get through on the telephones.

“We are confident that patients have, and will continue to, feel improvements.”

Church Lane, which has more than 12,000 patients, was not part of NHS England’s Patient Survey in 2017.

Six out of the ten lowest scoring surgeries are located in the Braintree District.

Braintree’s Blandford Medical Centre was fourth bottom, with just 59 per cent rating it as good.

Witham Health Care Centre was rated good by 75 per cent, putting it ninth from bottom.

Douglas Grove Surgery scored 79 per cent, hitting the CCG average exactly.

Dr Caroline Dollery, chairman of the CCG, said healthcare bosses were already working on ways to improve access to primary care across the district.

She said: “Over the coming months as part of our primary care development plan, we will be working with practices across Braintree and other areas to understand the reasons behind their patient satisfaction levels and what we can do to help them improve.

“In addition, our phased roll out of extended access began on Wednesday, August 1, allowing patients in Braintree, Chelmsford and Colne Valley to book evening and weekend appointments.

“This will be followed by Witham on Saturday, September 1, to achieve full coverage in Mid Essex by October 1.”

Freshwell Health Centre, in Wethersfield Road, Finchingfield, was rated as the top surgery in Mid Essex.

Of those surveyed, 98 per cent said the surgery was good.

The Coggeshall Surgery was a close third after being rated good by 97 per cent of patients surveyed.