The Lakes Medical Practice, Manchester: patient reviews and CQC rating
The Lakes Medical Practice is a GP practice in Manchester with 10,029 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 88% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Greater Manchester: 79%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in February 2024. It has 5.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,006 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about The Lakes Medical Practice
Its best result against England is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 83%, above the England figure of 69%. Its weakest is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 48%, against 58% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 4 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 7 within it.
On overall experience it is 22nd of the 149 practices in Manchester with 50 or more responses. 60% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 8 points higher than in 2025 (80%). 110 patients answered the survey (response rate 21%).
| Survey question | The Lakes Medical Practice | Greater Manchester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 88% | 79% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 60% | 63% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 48% | 61% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 48% | 58% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 88% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 85% | 76% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 83% | 71% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 91% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 89% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 92% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 99% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 96% of 49 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for The Lakes Medical Practice is Good, published in February 2024. One key question is rated differently: Responsive Requires Improvement. It held the same rating in the report before (April 2019).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Requires Improvement |
| Effective | Good |
10,029 patients were registered at The Lakes Medical Practice in September 2026, down 1.4% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
15% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 5.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,006 patients per GP, close to the England figure of 2,171 and Greater Manchester's 2,055. The practice also has 2.4 nurses and 2.0 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 5.1 | 7.2 |
| August 2024 | 5.1 | 7.2 |
| August 2025 | 4.0 | 5.9 |
| August 2026 | 5.0 | 7.8 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 5,118 appointments a month, or 510 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 54% were face to face (England: 63%). 57% took place on the day they were booked and 2% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
46% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | The Lakes Medical Practice | Greater Manchester | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 510 | 445 | 510 |
| Face to face | 54% | 66% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 57% | 44% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 2% | 5% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 6% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for peripheral arterial disease (1.5% against 0.6%) and depression (20.7% against 14.3%). It has a lower share for dementia (0.5% against 0.8%), palliative or supportive care needs (0.3% against 0.6%) and chronic kidney disease (3.6% against 4.6%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 28.4 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 81.5 years for women and 77.2 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 20.7% | 14.3% |
| High blood pressure | All ages | 15.1% | 15.2% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 8.6% | 7.9% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.9% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 3.6% | 4.6% |
| Cancer | All ages | 3.4% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.9% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.1% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.0% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.9% | 1.9% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 1.6% | 1.2% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 1.5% | 0.6% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 1.1% | 1.0% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.9% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.3% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 70.5% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 74.1% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 66.3% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 71.6% | 74.9% |
The Lakes Medical Practice, The Lakes Medical Centre, 21 Chorley Road, Swinton, Manchester, M27 4AF. Phone: 0161 727 5241. Website: www.thelakesmedicalcentre.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Poplars Medical Centre | 0.6 km | 84% |
| Silverdale Medical Practice | 1.1 km | 87% |
| The Sides Medical Practice | 1.4 km | 84% |
| Dr Venkatachalum Raj | 1.8 km | 88% |
| The Heights General Practice | 1.9 km | 76% |
- Silverdale Medical Practice (87% overall experience good)
- The Poplars Medical Centre (84% overall experience good)
- The Sides Medical Practice (84% overall experience good)
How do patients rate The Lakes Medical Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 88% of patients described their overall experience of The Lakes Medical Practice as good, above the England figure of 77%. 60% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at The Lakes Medical Practice?
10,029 patients were registered in September 2026, down 1.4% on a year earlier.
What is The Lakes Medical Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in February 2024.
How many GPs does The Lakes Medical Practice have?
5.0 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,006 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at The Lakes Medical Practice face to face?
54% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is The Lakes Medical Practice's phone number?
0161 727 5241.