Willingham-by-Stow Surgery, Gainsborough: patient reviews and CQC rating
Willingham-by-Stow Surgery is a GP practice in Gainsborough with 5,046 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 95% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Lincolnshire: 74%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in December 2016. It has 2.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,768 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Willingham-by-Stow Surgery
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 95%, above the England figure of 58%. Its result closest to England is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 98%, above the England figure of 93%. Of the 11 results in the table, 11 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error.
On overall experience it is 1st of the 4 practices in Gainsborough with 50 or more responses. 93% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 3 points higher than in 2025 (92%). 86 patients answered the survey (response rate 33%).
| Survey question | Willingham-by-Stow Surgery | Lincolnshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 95% | 74% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 93% | 54% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 95% | 58% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 87% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 96% | 85% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 95% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 98% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 96% | 85% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 94% | 84% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 98% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 100% | 90% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 100% of 48 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Willingham-by-Stow Surgery is Good, published in December 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
5,046 patients were registered at Willingham-by-Stow Surgery in September 2026, up 3.0% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
33% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,768 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Lincolnshire's 2,503. The practice also has 2.3 nurses and 6.1 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 3.4 | 3.4 |
| August 2024 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| August 2025 | 2.6 | 2.6 |
| August 2026 | 2.9 | 3.9 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,824 appointments a month, or 560 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 82% were face to face (England: 63%). 22% took place on the day they were booked and 4% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
29% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Willingham-by-Stow Surgery | Lincolnshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 560 | 600 | 510 |
| Face to face | 82% | 65% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 22% | 44% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 4% | 7% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for chronic kidney disease (11.8% against 4.6%), heart failure (2.0% against 1.1%) and atrial fibrillation (4.0% against 2.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 18.4 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.4 years for women and 79.5 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 24.6% | 15.2% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 11.8% | 4.6% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 11.6% | 14.3% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 9.0% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.2% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 6.0% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.9% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 4.0% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.0% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.5% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 2.0% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.1% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.0% | 1.2% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.9% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 81.6% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 87.3% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 83.9% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 82.1% | 74.9% |
Willingham-by-Stow Surgery, The Surgery, High Street, Willingham-by-Stow, Gainsborough, DN21 5JZ. Phone: 01427 788277. Website: www.willinghamsurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Ingham Practice | 7.4 km | 98% |
| Caskgate Street Surgery | 8.1 km | 72% |
| The Glebe Practice | 8.9 km | 68% |
| Trent Valley Surgery | 8.9 km | 90% |
| Cleveland Surgery | 9.2 km | 51% |
- Abbey Medical Practice (78% overall experience good)
- Cliff House Medical Practice (78% overall experience good)
- Glebe Park Surgery (88% overall experience good)
- Lindum Medical Practice (78% overall experience good)
- Minster Medical Practice (86% overall experience good)
- Nettleham Medical Practice (87% overall experience good)
- The Ingham Practice (98% overall experience good)
- Welton Family Health Centre (74% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Willingham-by-Stow Surgery?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 95% of patients described their overall experience of Willingham-by-Stow Surgery as good, above the England figure of 77%. 93% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Willingham-by-Stow Surgery?
5,046 patients were registered in September 2026, up 3.0% on a year earlier.
What is Willingham-by-Stow Surgery's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in December 2016.
How many GPs does Willingham-by-Stow Surgery have?
2.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (3 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,768 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Willingham-by-Stow Surgery face to face?
82% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Willingham-by-Stow Surgery's phone number?
01427 788277.