Lea Wharf Medical, Hertford: patient reviews and CQC rating
Lea Wharf Medical is a GP practice in Hertford with 18,229 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 67% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77% (Central East: 75%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in June 2016. It has 7.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,499 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Lea Wharf Medical
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 58%, against 54% across England. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 41%, below the England figure of 57%. Of the 11 results in the table, 0 are above England and 4 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 7 within it.
On overall experience it is 3rd of the 3 practices in Hertford with 50 or more responses. 41% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 7 points lower than in 2025 (74%). 119 patients answered the survey (response rate 29%).
| Survey question | Lea Wharf Medical | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 67% | 75% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 41% | 52% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 60% | 60% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 58% | 52% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 82% | 83% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 58% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 62% | 69% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 82% | 86% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 83% | 85% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 86% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 87% | 89% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Lea Wharf Medical is Good, published in June 2016. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
18,229 patients were registered at Lea Wharf Medical in September 2026, up 2.7% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
17% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 7.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,499 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Central East's 2,348. The practice also has 4.4 nurses and 1.7 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 8.3 | 13.2 |
| August 2024 | 8.3 | 12.5 |
| August 2025 | 6.9 | 12.2 |
| August 2026 | 7.3 | 10.7 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 10,574 appointments a month, or 580 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 58% were face to face (England: 63%). 63% took place on the day they were booked and 7% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
44% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 2% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Lea Wharf Medical | Central East | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 580 | 521 | 510 |
| Face to face | 58% | 62% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 63% | 48% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 7% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 2% | 4% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a lower share of patients for peripheral arterial disease (0.3% against 0.6%), heart failure (0.7% against 1.1%) and COPD (1.2% against 1.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 11.4 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 85.2 years for women and 81.0 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 15.0% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 11.6% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.7% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 5.7% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.3% | 3.8% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.1% | 4.6% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.4% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.4% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 1.8% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.3% | 1.2% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.2% | 1.9% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.7% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 74.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 76.3% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 74.1% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 81.0% | 74.9% |
Lea Wharf Medical, 17 Bircherley Green, Hertford, SG14 1BN. Phone: 01992 550541.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Hanscombe House Surgery | 0.4 km | 87% |
| New River Health | 3.4 km | 74% |
| Dolphin House Surgery | 3.6 km | 89% |
| Hailey View Surgery | 4.8 km | 74% |
| Amwell Surgery | 6.1 km | 88% |
- Hanscombe House Surgery (87% overall experience good)
- New River Health (74% overall experience good)
- Watton Place Clinic (83% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Lea Wharf Medical?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 67% of patients described their overall experience of Lea Wharf Medical as good, below the England figure of 77%. 41% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Lea Wharf Medical?
18,229 patients were registered in September 2026, up 2.7% on a year earlier.
What is Lea Wharf Medical's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in June 2016.
How many GPs does Lea Wharf Medical have?
7.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (12 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,499 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Lea Wharf Medical face to face?
58% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Lea Wharf Medical's phone number?
01992 550541.