Merton Lodge Surgery, Alford: patient reviews and CQC rating
Merton Lodge Surgery is a GP practice in Alford with 6,835 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 79% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Lincolnshire: 74%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in September 2022. It has 1.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 6,408 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Merton Lodge Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 76%, above the England figure of 58%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 40%, below the England figure of 57%. Of the 11 results in the table, 1 is above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 9 within it.
40% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 4 points higher than in 2025 (75%). 136 patients answered the survey (response rate 39%).
| Survey question | Merton Lodge Surgery | Lincolnshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 79% | 74% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 40% | 54% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 76% | 58% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 60% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 81% | 85% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 78% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 74% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 88% | 85% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 87% | 84% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 93% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 87% | 90% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Merton Lodge Surgery is Good, published in September 2022. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
6,835 patients were registered at Merton Lodge Surgery in September 2026, down 1.8% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
37% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 1.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 6,408 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Lincolnshire's 2,503. The practice also has 4.5 nurses and 8.2 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 1.6 | 1.6 |
| August 2024 | 2.3 | 2.3 |
| August 2025 | 1.2 | 1.2 |
| August 2026 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,384 appointments a month, or 788 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 64% were face to face (England: 63%). 52% took place on the day they were booked and 9% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
22% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 3% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Merton Lodge Surgery | Lincolnshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 788 | 600 | 510 |
| Face to face | 64% | 65% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 52% | 44% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 9% | 7% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 3% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for chronic kidney disease (12.9% against 4.6%), palliative or supportive care needs (1.3% against 0.6%) and heart failure (2.4% against 1.1%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 31.8 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 80.6 years for women and 78.3 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 23.9% | 15.2% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 12.9% | 4.6% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 12.8% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 11.2% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.3% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.1% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 5.6% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 4.5% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 3.7% | 1.9% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.6% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 2.4% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.5% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 1.3% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.8% | 1.2% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 75.9% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 75.9% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 70.1% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 74.7% | 74.9% |
Merton Lodge Surgery, 33 West Street, Alford, LN13 9HT. Phone: 01507 463262. Website: www.alforddocs.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Marisco Medical Practice | 10.4 km | 77% |
| Spilsby Surgery | 10.8 km | 70% |
| Beacon Medical Practice | 15.5 km | 58% |
| East Lindsey Medical Group | 16.1 km | 70% |
| Hawthorn Medical Practice | 16.4 km | 73% |
- Beacon Medical Practice (58% overall experience good)
- Dr Sinha & Partners (78% overall experience good)
- Hawthorn Medical Practice (73% overall experience good)
- Marisco Medical Practice (77% overall experience good)
- Spilsby Surgery (70% overall experience good)
- Stickney Surgery (88% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Merton Lodge Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 79% of patients described their overall experience of Merton Lodge Surgery as good, against 77% across England. 40% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Merton Lodge Surgery?
6,835 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.8% on a year earlier.
What is Merton Lodge Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in September 2022.
How many GPs does Merton Lodge Surgery have?
1.1 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (2 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 6,408 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Merton Lodge Surgery face to face?
64% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Merton Lodge Surgery's phone number?
01507 463262.