Walford Mill Medical Centre, Wimborne: patient reviews and CQC rating
Walford Mill Medical Centre is a GP practice in Wimborne with 8,432 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 87% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Dorset: 80%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in March 2017. It has 2.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 2,941 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Walford Mill Medical Centre
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to contact the practice through its website: 82%, above the England figure of 58%. Its weakest is the share who said the wait for their last appointment was about right: 65%, against 69% across England. Of the 11 results in the table, 6 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 5 within it.
On overall experience it is 2nd of the 3 practices in Wimborne with 50 or more responses. 64% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 2 points higher than in 2025 (85%). 111 patients answered the survey (response rate 40%).
| Survey question | Walford Mill Medical Centre | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 87% | 80% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 64% | 63% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 82% | 65% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 72% | 55% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 95% | 88% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 93% | 77% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 65% | 67% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 98% | 89% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 97% | 88% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 96% | 94% | 93% |
| Needs met | 93% | 92% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 97% of 217 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Walford Mill Medical Centre is Good, published in March 2017. All 5 key questions are rated Good.
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
8,432 patients were registered at Walford Mill Medical Centre in September 2026, up 4.2% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
27% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 2,941 patients per GP, more than the England figure of 2,171 and Dorset's 1,904. The practice also has 1.6 nurses and 0.6 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 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| August 2025 | 2.9 | 2.9 |
| August 2026 | 2.9 | 3.9 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 3,699 appointments a month, or 439 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 84% were face to face (England: 63%). 23% took place on the day they were booked and 13% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
36% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 5% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Walford Mill Medical Centre | Dorset | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 439 | 612 | 510 |
| Face to face | 84% | 63% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 23% | 43% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 13% | 10% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 5% | 3% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a higher share of patients on its registers for stroke or TIA (3.0% against 1.9%), chronic kidney disease (7.2% against 4.6%) and cancer (5.8% against 3.8%). It has a lower share for a learning disability (0.2% against 0.6%), osteoporosis (0.6% against 1.2%) and COPD (1.4% against 1.9%). The practice's patients live in areas with an average deprivation score of 11.5 (England: 21.8; higher is more deprived).
Life expectancy for its patients' neighbourhoods is 86.8 years for women and 82.2 for men (England: 83.0 and 79.1).
| Condition register | Age group | Practice (2024/25) | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure | All ages | 18.6% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 14.4% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 8.8% | 6.6% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 7.2% | 4.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 6.9% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 5.8% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 4.0% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 3.1% | 2.2% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 3.0% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.4% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 1.1% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 1.0% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.9% | 1.0% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.7% | 0.8% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.6% | 1.2% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 82.2% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 76.7% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 80.9% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 80.8% | 74.9% |
Walford Mill Medical Centre, Knobcrook Road, Wimborne, BH21 1NL. Phone: 01202 886999. Website: www.wimbornegp.co.uk.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| The Quarter Jack Surgery | 0.9 km | 81% |
| The Hadleigh Practice | 4.9 km | 94% |
| The Harvey Practice | 4.9 km | 90% |
| Orchid House Surgery | 6.7 km | 90% |
| Penny's Hill Practice | 6.7 km | 91% |
- Orchid House Surgery (90% overall experience good)
- Penny's Hill Practice (91% overall experience good)
- The Quarter Jack Surgery (81% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Walford Mill Medical Centre?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 87% of patients described their overall experience of Walford Mill Medical Centre as good, above the England figure of 77%. 64% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Walford Mill Medical Centre?
8,432 patients were registered in September 2026, up 4.2% on a year earlier.
What is Walford Mill Medical Centre's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in March 2017.
How many GPs does Walford Mill Medical Centre have?
2.9 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 2,941 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Walford Mill Medical Centre face to face?
84% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Walford Mill Medical Centre's phone number?
01202 886999.