Central Lakes Medical Group, Ambleside: patient reviews and CQC rating
Central Lakes Medical Group is a GP practice in Ambleside with 6,380 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 91% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Lancashire and South Cumbria: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in November 2019. It has 4.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,497 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Central Lakes Medical Group
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 85%, above the England figure of 57%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 53%, against 58% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 7 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 4 within it.
85% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points higher than in 2025 (89%). 116 patients answered the survey (response rate 33%).
| Survey question | Central Lakes Medical Group | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 91% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 85% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 53% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 50% | 57% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 92% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 90% | 74% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 69% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 96% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 93% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 92% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 96% | 91% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Central Lakes Medical Group is Good, published in November 2019. All 5 key questions are rated Good. Its previous overall rating was Requires Improvement (May 2019).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
6,380 patients were registered at Central Lakes Medical Group in September 2026, up 9.9% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
28% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 4.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,497 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Lancashire and South Cumbria's 2,288. The practice also has 4.2 nurses and 4.8 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| August 2024 | 2.7 | 2.7 |
| August 2025 | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| August 2026 | 4.3 | 4.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,736 appointments a month, or 429 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 82% were face to face (England: 63%). 30% took place on the day they were booked and 3% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
45% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Central Lakes Medical Group | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 429 | 471 | 510 |
| Face to face | 82% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 30% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 3% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for osteoporosis (2.3% against 1.2%), peripheral arterial disease (0.9% against 0.6%) and palliative or supportive care needs (0.9% against 0.6%). It has a lower share for a learning disability (0.2% against 0.6%), serious mental illness (0.6% against 1.0%) and diabetes (5.1% against 7.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 15.3 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 86.5 years for women and 81.3 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 18.2% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.8% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 7.5% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.7% | 3.8% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 5.1% | 7.9% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.0% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.3% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.6% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.4% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 2.3% | 1.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.2% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.6% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 78.3% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 70.1% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 68.0% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 76.9% | 74.9% |
Central Lakes Medical Group, Rydal Road, Ambleside, LA22 9BP. Phone: 01539 432693. Website: www.centrallakesmedicalgroup.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Roberts, Mr Eddy, Dr O’Sullivan, Dr Hughes, Dr Cook & Dr Halcrow | 7.1 km | 90% |
| Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice | 7.9 km | 97% |
| Glenridding Health Centre | 12.2 km | 100% |
| Station House Surgery | 18.6 km | 88% |
| Captain French Surgery | 18.8 km | 95% |
- Cartmel Surgery (96% overall experience good)
- Dr Roberts, Mr Eddy, Dr O’Sullivan, Dr Hughes, Dr Cook & Dr Halcrow (90% overall experience good)
- Haverthwaite Surgery (95% overall experience good)
- Nutwood Medical Practice (94% overall experience good)
- Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice (97% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Central Lakes Medical Group?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 91% of patients described their overall experience of Central Lakes Medical Group as good, above the England figure of 77%. 85% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Central Lakes Medical Group?
6,380 patients were registered in September 2026, up 9.9% on a year earlier.
What is Central Lakes Medical Group's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in November 2019.
How many GPs does Central Lakes Medical Group have?
4.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (9 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,497 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Central Lakes Medical Group face to face?
82% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Central Lakes Medical Group's phone number?
01539 432693.