Upwell Health Centre
Townley Close, Upwell, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, PE14 9BTContact details and opening times
Patient ratings and reviews
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Reviews
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Review titled Disappointing experience
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 15 July 2023
Unfortunately I have had a series of disappointing interactions with this GP surgery. The lack of e-consult or access to my medical records online is frustrating. Several times I've been told there are no appointments for weeks, so it feels almost impossible to get any information quickly. At previous GPs you could do an e-consult and get a text or email back, but here it feels like getting help or information is very difficult. I've also spoken with some very unhelpful people including being told I had no medical conditions, which is definitely not true. It already feels very difficult to get help with my condions, and the lack of ease of accsess really adds to this. There have also been a number of errors made in the short time I've been a patient and I feel like it's easy to be - or at least felt to be - pushed aside. Some of the staff at the reception have been very nice, but the way the surgery operates seems very behind the times and not conjusive to many patients needs - especially post pandemic. I've seen that this surgery has said their patients prefer to talk to them directly so they will not be operating e-consult, but I think this is a major mistake as having both seems like the best thing to do to give all patients the choice. On top of this, this GP needs to offer something like other GPs with guaranteed appointment within a certain time, like 48 hours which I've experienced in the past and works great. I wholly agree with the other negative review on here that many conditions do not lend themselves to calling at 8am for a same day appointment. I am looking into changing GP surgery.
Visited July 2023
Review titled Upwell Health Centre
Replied on 28 July 2023
Hello there. I'm sorry that you feel you’ve had a bad experience with our surgery. Let me try and address some of the issues you raise. With respect to access to your medical records online this is possible (and has been for many years) but you will need to formally request this with the practice. The request will go through our safety and data protection process (as we are required to do) and then you will be able to access you records using SystmOne online or the NHS app. Before the end of October you will have automatic access to all new additions to your medical record made by the practice. With respect to no appointments for weeks this is not strictly true. If you have an urgent or immediate need you will be seen on the day or very soon after. We do triage most requests to ensure that the patient is seen by the most appropriate person etc. I acknowledge that our book in advance appointments are about 3 to 4 weeks out and we are taking steps to try and maximise and improve this availability. It helps our team as much as the patients to have future booking capacity. In regards that e-consults we do have a system that is available on our website – it is called PATCHS. This is a new system (replaced the previous online system called Footfall) which allows you to communicate with the practice for both general, administrative, and clinical enquiries. You are quite correct however that the clinical aspect of this is not currently available. PATCHS has this functionality, and this will be enabled soon – please see more details about the GP Improvement Programme below. With respect to the errors, we would like to look into these. Whilst errors do of course happen it should not be frequent. I am also surprised and concerned that you felt that you were pushed aside. We work very hard to always look after our patients in a professional manner. Again I would like more information about this if possible. The surgery has just begun working on something called the GP Improvement Programme. This is an offer from NHS England to provide GP Practices with 6 months of support to review internal and patient facing systems with the aim of providing improved access. This will certainly involve the online e-consults you mention, seeing where we can improve book in advance appointments and indeed the 8AM rush. The programme is supported by an experienced external coaching and system change professional. It is a voluntary programme and requires a lot of work by the team internally so I hope that this give you some confidence that we are continuously trying to improve. Our overall goal at the practice is to maximise clinician time with patients, maintain safety, ensure the right patients get the right care when they need it and enable our team to do all this with as little stress as possible. I’d be lying if I said this wasn’t a challenge - but I assure you the team here are committed to provide the best service we can. Stephen Reeves (Manager)
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Review titled Excellent customer service
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Karen Walker - Posted on 06 July 2023
During a difficult time worrying about my father's health following a recent hospital stay, the Health Centre have been very supportive and extremely helpful in enabling him to get his medication urgently whilst staying with us in a different County. Thank you so very much.
Visited June 2023
Upwell Health Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled Best Practice in the area.
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 11 April 2023
I have the care of an ageing housebound parent and a disabled child. The service we have received from Upwell health centre has been second to none. Home visits for parent with encouraging and comforting advice. Annual check-ups for child with staff who actually show interest and listen. We appreciate the text reminders for appointments too. I can honestly say we couldn't have better care.
Visited April 2023
Upwell Health Centre has not yet replied.