Walnut Tree Health Centre

Long waits and dismissive responses to concerns

Deeply frustrating. I experienced significant dismissal of my concerns throughout my time here. After five years of persistent discomfort, I finally felt heard—only to receive an appointment letter for a specialist with a wait time of a year. This extended delay feels dismissive of my needs. Having lived in five different areas, this has been my poorest experience with healthcare services. I would relocate if circumstances permitted. Update: The situation remains unchanged with continued difficulty accessing appointments. Phone lines are congested with lengthy wait times that often yield no resolution. This has been an extremely disappointing experience overall.

Phone queue delays made getting through difficult

I find it very frustrating to get in touch with them. I'm disappointed that I had to contact them multiple times. I brought imaging results from a scan performed abroad that suggested a possible need for surgical intervention. I communicated all the relevant information, but was told the next available appointment was weeks away. As I was working at the time, I unfortunately missed that appointment. When I tried to rearrange, I was informed there were no slots available despite feeling my situation required prompt attention. I understand it was my error in missing the initial appointment, but I'm concerned about the lengthy waiting times given what appears to be capacity in the schedule for other activities.

Long wait but received caring attention

Had to wait quite a while, but the care I received was excellent. I hope this indicates that things are improving at the health centre. I'm aware from community discussions that the practice faces challenges with staffing arrangements, which affects their capacity to offer appointments. While this is their decision to make, the reasons behind such arrangements are debatable. Nonetheless, my treatment was extremely compassionate and almost justified the lengthy wait, though I would have preferred not to wait so long. The new online consultation service operating weekday mornings and evenings should help reduce urgent cases and enable timely appointments. Here's hoping for better outcomes for the centre going forward and that improvements continue. It's worth remembering that staff are only human and deserve to be treated with respect at all times. Approaching them with kindness rather than negativity is the way forward.

Impossible to reach GP despite urgent health needs

I have been managing ongoing respiratory health concerns that require regular medication. Since the pandemic began, I have experienced difficulty securing appointments with my GP, so I have been relying on my hospital consultant for care. Following a recent significant cardiac event and subsequent hospital discharge, I received documentation outlining the need for continued daily medication. When I visited the surgery in person to obtain a sick note, I also asked about arranging a follow-up appointment with my GP to discuss my recovery and current health status. I was advised to telephone the practice each morning at 8am to attempt to book an appointment. On each occasion I have called, I have found myself waiting in a queue with many other callers, which has caused me considerable anxiety, particularly as I am using a mobile phone with limited credit. Despite these repeated attempts over several weeks, I have been unable to secure an appointment. I feel frustrated with the current situation and would welcome the opportunity to receive care elsewhere.

Avoid this practice if you can

If you have the option to register elsewhere, I would recommend considering that alternative. You may find it worthwhile.

Couldn't get through on the phone

⭐️⭐️Poorest medical facility experience⭐️⭐️

Struggling to get appointments and prescriptions

The service quality has been disappointing. I have experienced difficulty obtaining appointments and getting prescriptions processed. The telephone reception staff have been unhelpful and dismissive when I have called, which has been frustrating.

Reception couldn't locate my test results

I have had a disappointing experience with the service. I have been waiting for more than three weeks for a specialist appointment that has not yet taken place. Test results that were sent several days ago were initially reported as not received by the practice. When I provided specific details about when the results were transmitted this morning, I was told they would need to investigate further, which means additional waiting time. I am experiencing significant discomfort, struggling with sleep quality, and remain without a clear diagnosis. This is affecting my ability to carry out daily activities. I have been unable to secure same-day appointments when calling early in the morning. I am concerned that my condition may worsen as I cannot begin the necessary preparatory steps without a diagnosis, and I worry about physical decline during this extended waiting period.

Struggling with long waiting times and poor service

It's disappointing. I have to concur with the other negative feedback that has been shared. Other local practices don't seem to experience the same level of difficulties as this one does.

Emergency appointment cancelled with no alternative offered

I felt let down by the practice after calling at 8:00am to request an urgent appointment and being offered a slot at 10 o'clock, which came as a surprise. Shortly after, at 9:15, I was informed that the clinician had become unwell and would be unable to attend. When I contacted the practice to reschedule, I was given the option of waiting several weeks for an alternative appointment or attempting to book again the following day. It seemed reasonable to expect that when appointments were cancelled, existing patients might be reallocated to other available clinicians. Instead, I was directed to attend a walk-in centre, where I subsequently spent several hours waiting. During this time, another healthcare professional questioned why my GP practice had not been able to see me. I believe the practice would benefit from reviewing its systems and giving greater consideration to patient needs and circumstances.

Struggling to book an appointment here

It is extremely difficult to obtain an appointment at this practice.

Staff stayed helpful through difficult times

Registered with the practice a couple of years ago following a local relocation, and have had a positive experience overall. The team has consistently demonstrated courtesy and support during challenging periods, and despite limitations on in-person appointments, telephone consultations have been readily available and informative. The clinical staff have proven to be professional and attentive throughout my time as a patient.

Struggling to see my regular doctor

I have not had an in-person appointment with my GP for three years. Whenever I contact the practice about a health concern, I am directed to attend a walk-in centre instead.

Impossible to book appointments here

It is difficult to secure an appointment at this practice. Other clinics do not appear to have the same level of difficulty, or at least not to this extent. The booking system requires calling early in the morning, but by the time you manage to get through, there are no available slots remaining. This situation has prompted consideration of changing practices.

Practice struggling to meet local demand

I recognise that healthcare services have faced significant challenges in recent years, however I feel this practice is not meeting the needs of many people in the local community who appear to have limited alternatives and continue to struggle without adequate support. I find this situation concerning and believe it may be time for patients to come together and raise awareness of these issues publicly.

Impossible to book appointments through phone queue

The clinical staff are excellent when you manage to reach them. I have been attempting to arrange a follow-up appointment since April without success. On each occasion I call, I am told that no further slots are available, and despite calling promptly at opening time, there are always many people ahead in the queue. On one occasion, the call disconnected unexpectedly. This situation is discouraging and makes it difficult to feel motivated to seek medical attention for ongoing concerns.

Dismissive approach left me feeling unheard

The practice demonstrated a lack of attentiveness to patient welfare, which raised concerns about safety. There appeared to be limited understanding of holistic health needs. I would recommend considering alternative healthcare providers, even if it requires travelling further afield.

Finally felt listened to and taken seriously

This clinician is the only one who has genuinely heard my concerns and treated them with appropriate consideration, rather than attributing everything to my weight. I recognise that weight management is a common focus in healthcare settings, though I feel this approach has sometimes overshadowed other important health matters in my case, including longstanding dietary concerns. I would consider changing to a different practice if it were possible.

Reception rudeness made medication access impossible

Terrible experience. We have newborn twins who both require medication after feeding to help them feed properly. The reception staff have been unresponsive to our requests on multiple occasions and have been unhelpful. They only dispense a week's supply of the medication but insist we must request it a week in advance, yet they won't allow us to order and collect at the same time. Additionally, the clinical team indicated they needed to review the babies but didn't inform us of this requirement until we contacted them ourselves, despite us having attended the clinic just two days earlier. We now find ourselves without medication for five days and must manage two unwell babies during this period. This represents a concerning lack of attentiveness which appears to be a pattern at this practice. We are actively exploring alternative options for our family's healthcare due to our concerns about the standard of care being provided.

Impossible to book an appointment here

It is difficult to secure an appointment at this practice. The telephone queues are extremely long.