Walnut Tree Health Centre

Long waits with no information about appointment availability

Extremely disappointing experience, consistently frustrating whenever I attempt to visit. Called the previous day and was informed that no further appointments were available that day, with instruction to ring back the following morning. I understood this might be due to a backlog from the weekend. Attended in person the next day and stood in a queue for approximately 15 minutes, only to be told they were only accepting emergency medical cases at that time. It would have been helpful if this information had been communicated via signage rather than having me wait for such a lengthy period in very warm conditions. This felt particularly inconsistent given the prominent display outside promoting mental health awareness, whilst simultaneously appearing unable to accommodate those currently experiencing mental health difficulties. There is clear room for improvement in how the practice manages patient expectations and access to care.

Reception staff seemed dismissive and unhelpful

The nursing staff member displayed a dismissive and condescending manner, which made for an exceptionally poor visit to the practice. The reception team also appeared unhelpful and disengaged with patients attending appointments. I am considering transferring my care elsewhere.

Long phone queues make appointments impossible

This GP practice has not met my expectations since relocating to the area. Unfortunately, it is the surgery assigned to my postcode. I attempted to book an appointment by calling at opening time on multiple occasions, only to be told repeatedly that the practice was fully booked and that I should visit urgent care instead. The process felt inefficient, as I spent considerable time waiting in the phone queue before receiving a response. I found this experience quite disappointing.

Repeated visits left me increasingly disappointed

I have struggled to understand how this facility maintains its status as a healthcare provider. The experience has been deeply disappointing. Across multiple visits, the quality of care appeared to decline each time. The clinical staff came across as unhelpful and the appointments did not feel productive or worthwhile. The service would benefit significantly from a comprehensive assessment to address concerns regarding professional standards and the overall quality of healthcare delivery.

Early morning queue chaos and poor privacy handling

Quite a stressful visit. I arrived early in the morning hoping to bypass the telephone booking system, but found the practice already busy with a substantial queue ahead of me. Shortly after opening time, the reception process began. Very early on, a patient was informed that all face-to-face appointments had been allocated, which seemed surprising given how few slots may have been available. The reception area was crowded and noisy, with patients having to speak loudly to be heard by staff, leading to requests for people to remove their masks so communication could improve. Overall, the experience felt rather chaotic and disorganised.

Impossible to get appointments when you need them

Extremely poor - even one star feels generous. Accessing appointments is incredibly challenging; there's always a frantic scramble at opening time only to be informed that slots are unavailable and you'll need to visit an alternative facility instead. I've attended this practice on numerous occasions and have found it persistently problematic to obtain timely care when needed. My family members have encountered even greater difficulties with their experiences here.

Staff went above and beyond during difficult times

I would like to express my gratitude to the excellent team at Walnut Tree Health Centre. The clinical staff member who has provided consistent support with my ongoing health concern over the past year deserves particular recognition. It has been a challenging period for all NHS staff, particularly those working in primary care, and many people do not fully appreciate the effort and commitment required to maintain services, especially when dealing with staffing constraints. I also appreciated the continued dedication of the experienced team members who have remained in their roles. My thanks extend to the practice partners and the reception team as well.

Efficient and welcoming after many years

I cannot speak highly enough of this GP practice. The team are efficient, friendly and welcoming. I have been a patient here for nearly three decades and have never had reason to complain. They have consistently handled my healthcare needs in a timely manner and with genuine care. They deliver an excellent standard of service. I am very grateful for their support.

Reception staff ignored queue while chatting and drinking

This practice has been an extremely disappointing experience for me. I have been experiencing significant discomfort for an extended period while awaiting assessment, and feel frustrated by various barriers to receiving care. I was informed I did not meet the criteria for a particular screening procedure, despite having relevant family history and concerning symptoms. After obtaining private testing, I discovered I required treatment, but was subsequently prescribed medication from my documented allergy list. This has now occurred multiple times, and I am facing lengthy delays to discuss this matter with a clinician. Additionally, I have found the administrative experience frustrating, with long wait times when calling despite apparently low call volumes, while observing staff appearing to take breaks. Overall, I feel the service has fallen significantly short of what I would expect, and I have serious concerns about the quality of care and attention to patient safety being provided at this practice.

Couldn't get through on the phone

I had a very poor experience.

Phone queues make appointments nearly impossible

I found this practice to be significantly below my expectations. Contacting them by telephone proved to be a lengthy and frustrating process, and when I did manage to reach someone, I felt the reception staff were dismissive and unhelpful, appearing to act as gatekeepers rather than facilitators. Appointment availability was extremely limited, with considerable waiting times for both telephone and in-person consultations, which meant issues were not addressed in a timely manner. Overall, I was very dissatisfied with my experience and would not recommend this practice.

Impossible to get through on the phone

I found this practice to be unsatisfactory. There were significant difficulties reaching them by telephone, and obtaining an appointment proved to be very challenging. These issues ultimately led me to seek care elsewhere. I felt the practice was poorly managed and would not recommend it.

Long wait on phone queue, no appointments available

Attempting to reach the practice during early morning hours resulted in a lengthy wait of approximately 40 minutes before being advised to contact them again the following day, as telephone appointments were not available at that time. This experience was frustrating and disappointing.

Long wait for a simple appointment question

I needed to ask about returning to work following my procedure, which seemed like a straightforward question. However, obtaining an appointment proved extremely challenging, with a wait of over two weeks. This lengthy delay for what would likely be a brief discussion felt frustrating, particularly as I felt I already knew what the answer would be. The experience left me questioning the value of contacting the practice at all. In contrast, I found the walk-in clinic and hospital services in my area to be excellent and readily accessible. This made me wonder about the purpose of having a local health centre when access to appointments is so difficult.

Phone lines impossible to get through on

Once an appointment has been secured, the staff are very friendly and welcoming. However, there are significant difficulties in reaching the practice by telephone. After navigating the automated system and selecting the option to book an appointment, I consistently receive a message stating that the call cannot be completed. This issue persists regardless of when I attempt to call. I find this quite frustrating.

Kind support through a difficult time

The clinical team has been very kind to us and has helped us through a difficult time. They have provided us with solutions and helped us with quick referrals to hospital services as well.

Impossible to get appointments for anyone here

I found the service to be inadequate. I have been dealing with a persistent cough for several months and have been unable to secure an appointment through the practice. Despite having multiple tests performed, all of which came back negative, I have attended urgent care services on separate occasions and been prescribed antibiotics. Eventually, I decided to seek private medical care, where I was advised that imaging would be appropriate given the duration of my symptoms. The private provider expressed concern that I had needed to pursue private treatment due to difficulty obtaining NHS appointments. Additionally, my young child has also struggled to access appointments at the practice, as the appointment system does not differentiate between adult and paediatric slots. Despite calling at various times and on multiple occasions, availability has consistently been unavailable. My child has previously required urgent care attendance and antibiotic treatment because the practice was unable to see them. I am now considering whether private paediatric care might be a more reliable option, as it appears that children's healthcare needs are not being adequately prioritised at this practice.

Surgery redirects patients to urgent care instead

What is the purpose of having a surgery when appointments are consistently unavailable? The practice frequently redirects patients to alternative services rather than providing direct care. It appears the surgery exists primarily to meet administrative requirements, and one would hope never to require their medical services. The experience has been marked by insufficient empathy, difficulties with front desk interactions, and severe limitations in accessing clinician appointments. A rating lower than one star would be more appropriate if the system allowed it.

Phone queues and confusing vaccine booking process

Received a request to attend for a vaccination appointment. When I called the surgery to arrange this, I found myself repeatedly placed tenth in the queue, which proved unproductive. I decided to try the online form instead and received a response indicating that if I met the eligibility criteria, which I do, an appointment slot would be sent via email or text message. After waiting a week, I received a text message instructing me to ring the surgery to book the appointment, which felt like returning to the beginning of the process. This experience was frustrating and felt inefficient. The overall impression I have of this practice is one of poor organisation. If alternatives were available, I would consider switching to a different surgery.

Couldn't get through on the phone line

Attempting to reach the practice by telephone to arrange an appointment for my child proved difficult, as selecting what appeared to be the correct option did not result in a successful connection. The telephone service experience was disappointing.