Dr A Palmer & Dr G Lovelock, Chesterfield: patient reviews and CQC rating
Dr A Palmer & Dr G Lovelock is a GP practice in Chesterfield with 8,579 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 81% of its patients described their overall experience as good, against 77% across England (Derby and Derbyshire: 76%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in October 2018. It has 3.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,659 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Dr A Palmer & Dr G Lovelock
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 71%, above the England figure of 54%. Its weakest is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 86%, below the England figure of 93%. Of the 11 results in the table, 3 are above England and 1 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 7 within it.
On overall experience it is 12th of the 20 practices in Chesterfield with 50 or more responses. 68% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points higher than in 2025 (79%). 123 patients answered the survey (response rate 36%).
| Survey question | Dr A Palmer & Dr G Lovelock | Derby and Derbyshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 81% | 76% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 68% | 51% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 56% | 53% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 71% | 46% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 91% | 84% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 78% | 68% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 70% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 86% | 87% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 82% | 86% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 86% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 89% | 90% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 100% of 19 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Dr A Palmer & Dr G Lovelock is Good, published in October 2018. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (March 2018).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
8,579 patients were registered at Dr A Palmer & Dr G Lovelock in September 2026, up 0.9% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
21% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,659 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Derby and Derbyshire's 2,105. The practice also has 6.1 nurses and 2.9 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 4.7 | 4.7 |
| August 2024 | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| August 2025 | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| August 2026 | 3.2 | 3.2 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,756 appointments a month, or 438 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 69% were face to face (England: 63%). 46% took place on the day they were booked and 21% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
23% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Dr A Palmer & Dr G Lovelock | Derby and Derbyshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 438 | 523 | 510 |
| Face to face | 69% | 68% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 46% | 39% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 21% | 9% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for palliative or supportive care needs (0.9% against 0.6%), dementia (1.2% against 0.8%) and asthma (8.1% against 6.6%). It has a lower share for serious mental illness (0.4% against 1.0%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 20.6 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 81.3 years for women and 78.2 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 18.4% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 16.5% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.6% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.1% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.5% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.3% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 3.3% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.5% | 2.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.3% | 1.9% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.4% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.0% | 1.2% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.4% | 1.0% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 76.8% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 79.3% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 85.0% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 86.1% | 74.9% |
Dr A Palmer & Dr G Lovelock, Barlborough Medical Practice, The Old Malthouse, 7 Worksop Road, Barlborough, Chesterfield, S43 4TY. Phone: 01246 819994. Website: www.barlboroughmedicalpractice.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Springs Health Centre | 1.8 km | 89% |
| Emmett Carr Surgery | 2.7 km | 72% |
| Killamarsh Medical Practice | 4.6 km | 73% |
| Moss Valley Medical Practice | 5.1 km | 78% |
| Whitwell Health Centre | 5.2 km | 84% |
- Killamarsh Medical Practice (73% overall experience good)
- Moss Valley Medical Practice (78% overall experience good)
- The Springs Health Centre (89% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Dr A Palmer & Dr G Lovelock?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 81% of patients described their overall experience of Dr A Palmer & Dr G Lovelock as good, against 77% across England. 68% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Dr A Palmer & Dr G Lovelock?
8,579 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.9% on a year earlier.
What is Dr A Palmer & Dr G Lovelock's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in October 2018.
How many GPs does Dr A Palmer & Dr G Lovelock have?
3.2 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (5 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,659 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Dr A Palmer & Dr G Lovelock face to face?
69% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Dr A Palmer & Dr G Lovelock's phone number?
01246 819994.