Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice, Windermere: patient reviews and CQC rating
Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice is a GP practice in Windermere with 4,422 registered patients (September 2026). In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 97% of its patients described their overall experience as good, above the England figure of 77% (Lancashire and South Cumbria: 78%). The Care Quality Commission rates it Good overall, in a report published in February 2023. It has 2.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, or 1,917 patients per GP.
Latest data: September 2026. Patient survey 2026; registered patients September 2026; appointments to August 2026.
What patients say about Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice
Its best result against England is the share who found it easy to get through to the practice by phone: 87%, above the England figure of 57%. Its result closest to England is the share who had confidence and trust in the healthcare professional they saw: 98%, above the England figure of 93%. Of the 11 results in the table, 10 are above England and 0 below by more than the survey's margin of error, and 1 within it.
87% found it easy to get through by phone (England: 57%). The overall experience result is 14 points higher than in 2025 (83%). 120 patients answered the survey (response rate 24%).
| Survey question | Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall experience good | 97% | 78% | 77% |
| Easy to contact by phone | 87% | 61% | 57% |
| Easy to contact via the website | 66% | 55% | 58% |
| Easy to contact via the NHS App | 76% | 57% | 54% |
| Reception team helpful | 98% | 86% | 85% |
| Last contact good | 95% | 74% | 73% |
| Wait for appointment about right | 81% | 70% | 69% |
| Listened to well | 97% | 88% | 87% |
| Treated with care and concern | 96% | 87% | 86% |
| Confidence and trust in the clinician | 98% | 93% | 93% |
| Needs met | 98% | 91% | 90% |
In the Friends and Family Test for July 2026, 92% of 144 responses rated the practice good or very good (England: 92%).
CQC's overall rating for Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice is Good, published in February 2023. All 5 key questions are rated Good. It held the same rating in the report before (February 2020).
| Key question | Rating |
|---|---|
| Safe | Good |
| Well-led | Good |
| Caring | Good |
| Responsive | Good |
| Effective | Good |
4,422 patients were registered at Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice in September 2026, down 7.5% on a year earlier (England: down 1.1%).
22% of its patients are aged 65 or over, against 19% across England. With 2.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs, there are 1,917 patients per GP, fewer than the England figure of 2,171 and Lancashire and South Cumbria's 2,288. The practice also has 3.9 nurses and 3.2 other clinical staff such as pharmacists and physiotherapists (full-time equivalent).
| Year | Qualified GPs (FTE) | All GPs incl. trainees (FTE) |
|---|---|---|
| August 2023 | 2.6 | 2.6 |
| August 2024 | 3.0 | 3.0 |
| August 2025 | 2.7 | 2.7 |
| August 2026 | 2.3 | 2.3 |
From June 2026 to August 2026 the practice recorded 2,297 appointments a month, or 520 per 1,000 registered patients (England: 510). 75% were face to face (England: 63%). 34% took place on the day they were booked and 5% more than 28 days after booking (England: 45% and 5%).
47% were with a GP rather than another member of the practice team. 4% of booked patients did not attend.
| Measure | Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice | Lancashire and South Cumbria | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appointments per 1,000 patients a month | 520 | 471 | 510 |
| Face to face | 75% | 70% | 63% |
| Same day as booked | 34% | 42% | 45% |
| More than 28 days after booking | 5% | 6% | 5% |
| Did not attend | 4% | 5% | 4% |
Compared with England, the practice has a lower share of patients for osteoporosis (0.3% against 1.2%), chronic kidney disease (2.4% against 4.6%) and diabetes (5.4% against 7.9%). 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 87.2 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 | 14.6% | 15.2% |
| Depression | 18+ yrs | 11.8% | 14.3% |
| Asthma | 6+ yrs | 6.0% | 6.6% |
| Diabetes | 17+ yrs | 5.4% | 7.9% |
| Cancer | All ages | 4.3% | 3.8% |
| Coronary heart disease | All ages | 2.9% | 3.0% |
| Atrial fibrillation | All ages | 2.4% | 2.2% |
| Chronic kidney disease | 18+ yrs | 2.4% | 4.6% |
| Stroke and TIA | All ages | 2.2% | 1.9% |
| COPD | All ages | 1.5% | 1.9% |
| Heart failure | All ages | 0.8% | 1.1% |
| Rheumatoid arthritis | 16+ yrs | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Serious mental illness | All ages | 0.8% | 1.0% |
| Peripheral arterial disease | All ages | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| Epilepsy | 18+ yrs | 0.6% | 0.8% |
| Dementia | All ages | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Palliative care | All ages | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Learning disability | All ages | 0.4% | 0.6% |
| Osteoporosis | 50+ yrs | 0.3% | 1.2% |
| Screening coverage | Period | Practice | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowel cancer screening (aged 60 to 74) | 2024/25 | 75.0% | 72.9% |
| Breast cancer screening (women aged 53 to 70) | 2024/25 | 70.0% | 72.2% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 25 to 49) | 2023/24 | 60.0% | 67.5% |
| Cervical screening (women aged 50 to 64) | 2023/24 | 73.7% | 74.9% |
Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice, Windermere Health Centre, Goodly Dale, Windermere, LA23 2EG. Phone: 01228 514830.
| Nearby practice | Distance | Overall experience good |
|---|---|---|
| Dr Roberts, Mr Eddy, Dr O’Sullivan, Dr Hughes, Dr Cook & Dr Halcrow | 1.1 km | 90% |
| Central Lakes Medical Group | 7.9 km | 91% |
| Captain French Surgery | 11.9 km | 95% |
| Station House Surgery | 12.1 km | 88% |
| The James Cochrane Practice | 13.1 km | 76% |
- Cartmel Surgery (96% overall experience good)
- Central Lakes Medical Group (91% overall experience good)
- Dr Roberts, Mr Eddy, Dr O’Sullivan, Dr Hughes, Dr Cook & Dr Halcrow (90% overall experience good)
- Haverthwaite Surgery (95% overall experience good)
- Nutwood Medical Practice (94% overall experience good)
How do patients rate Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice?
In the 2026 GP Patient Survey, 97% of patients described their overall experience of Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice as good, above the England figure of 77%. 87% found it easy to get through by phone.
How many patients are registered at Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice?
4,422 patients were registered in September 2026, down 7.5% on a year earlier.
What is Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice's CQC rating?
Good overall, published in February 2023.
How many GPs does Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice have?
2.3 full-time-equivalent qualified GPs (6 qualified GPs by headcount), which is 1,917 patients per GP against 2,171 across England.
Are appointments at Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice face to face?
75% of appointments from June 2026 to August 2026 were face to face, against 63% across England.
What is Windermere and Bowness Medical Practice's phone number?
01228 514830.