Watlington Medical Centre, Kings Lynn: patient reviews and CQC rating
Watlington Medical Centre is a GP practice in Kings Lynn with 6,679 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 69% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77% (Norfolk and Suffolk: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in October 2018. It has 4.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,651 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Watlington Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 79%, above the England figure of 69%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 34%, below the England figure of 54%. Of the 11 results in the table, 1 is above England and 2 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 8 within it.
On overall experience it is 10th of the 11 practices in Kings Lynn with 50 or more responses. 57% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 11 points lower than in 2025 (80%). 113 patients answered the survey (response rate 39%).
| Survey question | Watlington Medical Centre | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 69% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 57% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 49% | 62% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 34% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 89% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 66% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 79% | 74% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 89% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 92% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 90% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 91% | 92% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Watlington Medical Centre is Good, published in October 2018. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (December 2017).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
6,679 patients were registered at Watlington Medical Centre in September 2026, down 1.0% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
28% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 4.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,651 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Norfolk and Suffolk's 2,133. The practice also has 2.9 nurses and 1.9 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 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| August 2025 | 3.7 | 3.7 |
| August 2026 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,404 appointments a month, or 510 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 58% were face to face (England: 63%). 44% took place on the day they were booked and 5% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
30% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Watlington Medical Centre | Norfolk and Suffolk | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 510 | 578 | 510 |
| Face to face | 58% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 44% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 5% | 8% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for stroke or TIA (2.9% against 1.9%), atrial fibrillation (3.4% against 2.2%) and coronary heart disease (4.1% against 3.0%). It has a lower share for osteoporosis (0.4% against 1.2%), depression (7.2% against 14.3%) and serious mental illness (0.6% against 1.0%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 20.5 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 84.1 years for women and 80.3 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 19.3% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 10.2% | 7.9% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 7.2% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.7% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 5.1% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.0% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.1% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.4% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.9% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.2% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.0% | 1.1% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.7% | 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% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.4% | 1.2% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 75.9% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 82.9% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 76.8% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 75.7% | 74.9% |
Watlington Medical Centre, Rowan Close, off Fen Road, Watlington, Kings Lynn, PE33 0TU. Phone: 01553 810253.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Hollies Surgery | 7.1 km | 71% |
| Bridge Street Surgery | 7.2 km | 78% |
| Howdale Group Practice | 7.3 km | 85% |
| St Johns Surgery | 8.9 km | 94% |
| Southgates and The Woottons Surgeries | 9.0 km | 75% |
- Boughton Surgery (79% overall experience good)
- Feltwell Surgery (89% overall experience good)
- St Clement's Surgery (90% overall experience good)
- St Johns Surgery (94% overall experience good)
- Upwell Health Centre (70% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Watlington Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 69% of patients described their overall experience of Watlington Medical Centre as good, below the England figure of 77%. 57% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Watlington Medical Centre?
6,679 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.0% on a year earlier.
What is Watlington Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in October 2018.
How many GPs does Watlington Medical Centre have?
4.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (7 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,651 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Watlington Medical Centre face to face?
58% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Watlington Medical Centre's phone number?
01553 810253.