Lowfield Medical Centre, Dartford: patient reviews and CQC rating
Lowfield Medical Centre is a GP practice in Dartford with 7,461 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 55% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77% (Kent and Medway: 73%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in July 2016. It has 3.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,068 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Lowfield Medical Centre
Its result closest to England is the share who said their needs were met at their last appointment: 83%, below the England figure of 90%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 26%, below the England figure of 58%. Of the 11 results in the table, 0 are above England and 11 below by more than the survey's margin of error.
On overall experience it is 8th of the 9 practices in Dartford with 50 or more responses. 38% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 25 points lower than in 2025 (80%). 114 patients answered the survey (response rate 25%).
| Survey question | Lowfield Medical Centre | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 55% | 73% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 38% | 48% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 26% | 52% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 26% | 50% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 57% | 82% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 49% | 67% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 42% | 65% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 72% | 85% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 70% | 84% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 78% | 91% | 93% |
| Needs met | 83% | 89% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 87% of 91 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Lowfield Medical Centre is Good, published in July 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
7,461 patients were registered at Lowfield Medical Centre in September 2026, up 0.5% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
15% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 3.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,068 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Kent and Medway's 2,419. The practice also has 0.5 nurses and 0.9 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| August 2024 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| August 2025 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| August 2026 | 3.6 | 3.6 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,543 appointments a month, or 341 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 85% were face to face (England: 63%). 27% took place on the day they were booked and 5% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
47% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 7% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Lowfield Medical Centre | Kent and Medway | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 341 | 457 | 510 |
| Face to face | 85% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 27% | 41% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 5% | 7% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 7% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a lower share of patients for cancer (2.9% against 3.8%) and coronary heart disease (2.3% against 3.0%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 21.6 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.0 years for women and 78.4 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 16.2% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 15.5% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.1% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 5.9% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 4.9% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 2.9% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.3% | 3.0% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.2% | 1.9% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 1.8% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.5% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.3% | 1.2% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.9% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.7% | 1.0% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 72.0% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 71.3% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 75.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 78.9% | 74.9% |
Lowfield Medical Centre, 65-67 Lowfield Street, Dartford, DA1 1HP. Phone: 01322 224550. Website: www.lowfieldmedicalcentre.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Horsmans Place Partnership | 0.1 km | 77% |
| The Wellcome Practice | 0.7 km | 77% |
| Redwood Practice | 0.7 km | 73% |
| Dartford East Health Centre | 1.5 km | 79% |
| Pilgrims Way Surgery | 1.5 km | 62% |
- Dartford East Health Centre (79% overall experience good)
- The Wellcome Practice (77% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Lowfield Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 55% of patients described their overall experience of Lowfield Medical Centre as good, below the England figure of 77%. 38% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Lowfield Medical Centre?
7,461 patients were registered in September 2026, up 0.5% on a year earlier.
What is Lowfield Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in July 2016.
How many GPs does Lowfield Medical Centre have?
3.6 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (5 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,068 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Lowfield Medical Centre face to face?
85% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Lowfield Medical Centre's phone number?
01322 224550.