Branston & Heighington Family Practice, Lincoln: patient reviews and CQC rating
Branston & Heighington Family Practice is a GP practice in Lincoln with 4,148 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 63% of its patients described their overall experience as good, below the England figure of 77% (Lincolnshire: 74%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in October 2023. It has 1.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 3,111 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Branston & Heighington Family Practice
Its best result against England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 73%, against 69% across England. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice using the NHS App: 36%, below the England figure of 54%. Of the 11 results in the table, 0 are above England and 3 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 8 within it.
On overall experience it is 22nd of the 25 practices in Lincoln with 50 or more responses. 54% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 10 points higher than in 2025 (53%). 104 patients answered the survey (response rate 36%).
| Survey question | Branston & Heighington Family Practice | Lincolnshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 63% | 74% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 54% | 54% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 40% | 58% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 36% | 53% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 82% | 85% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 68% | 71% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 73% | 72% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 82% | 85% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 84% | 84% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 92% | 92% | 93% |
| Needs met | 93% | 90% | 90% |
CQC's overall rating for Branston & Heighington Family Practice is Good, published in October 2023. One key question is rated differently: Safe Requires Improvement. Its previous overall rating was Inadequate (January 2023).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Requires Improvement |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
4,148 patients were registered at Branston & Heighington Family Practice in September 2026, down 7.5% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
24% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 1.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 3,111 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Lincolnshire's 2,503. The practice also has 2.3 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 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| August 2024 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| August 2025 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
| August 2026 | 1.3 | 1.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,293 appointments a month, or 553 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 86% were face to face (England: 63%). 33% took place on the day they were booked and 7% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
24% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Branston & Heighington Family Practice | Lincolnshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 553 | 600 | 510 |
| Face to face | 86% | 65% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 33% | 44% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 7% | 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 (9.6% against 4.6%), heart failure (1.8% against 1.1%) and atrial fibrillation (3.6% against 2.2%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 12.6 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived). Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 83.2 years for women and 80.7 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 19.6% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 12.9% | 14.3% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 9.6% | 4.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.2% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.1% | 6.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.6% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.2% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.6% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.8% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 2.5% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.8% | 1.1% |
| Dementia | All ages | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.0% | 1.0% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.9% | 0.8% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.9% | 1.2% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 76.9% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 73.8% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 76.2% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 73.2% | 74.9% |
98% of the practice's patients live in the LN4 postcode district. 99% live in North Kesteven, the council area the practice is in.
| Postcode district | Registered patients | Share |
|---|---|---|
| LN4 | 4,106 | 98% |
Branston & Heighington Family Practice, Station Road, Branston, Lincoln, LN4 1LH. Phone: 01522 793081. Website: www.branstonsurgery.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Washingborough Family Practice | 2.9 km | 91% |
| The Heath Surgery | 4.5 km | 89% |
| Portland Medical Practice | 5.7 km | 57% |
| Abbey Medical Practice | 5.7 km | 78% |
| Glebe Park Surgery | 5.7 km | 88% |
- Brant Road & Springcliffe Surgery (71% overall experience good)
- Church Walk Surgery (84% overall experience good)
- Cliff Villages Medical Practice (60% overall experience good)
- The Bassingham Surgery (88% overall experience good)
- The Heath Surgery (89% overall experience good)
- Washingborough Family Practice (91% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Branston & Heighington Family Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 63% of patients described their overall experience of Branston & Heighington Family Practice as good, below the England figure of 77%. 54% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Branston & Heighington Family Practice?
4,148 patients were registered in September 2026, down 7.5% on a year earlier.
What is Branston & Heighington Family Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in October 2023.
How many GPs does Branston & Heighington Family Practice have?
1.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (2 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 3,111 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Branston & Heighington Family Practice face to face?
86% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Branston & Heighington Family Practice's phone number?
01522 793081.