Wilson Practice
Alton Health Centre, Anstey Road, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 2QXContact details and opening times
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Reviews
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Review titled So limited GP Access
Rated 1 star out of 5
by John - Posted on 09 July 2024
I have tried to access Wilson Practice via the e consult system for 4 days to get a GP appointment but it appears that unless you can get onto e consult at 07.30 or very shortly afterwards (under an hour) due to the imposed capacity constraint it is now impossible to get a GP appointment by phone (or indeed any other method of communication). I cannot do this time due to work constraints - so in effect it is impossible, I was informed by reception team, to get access to a GP unless through e consult. This is actually discriminatory in my opinion as the NHS should be accessible to all members of the public. The only option therefore is to go A&E to get treatment which is impracticable (and puts even more strain on the NHS as a result). I keep seeing comments by the Wilson Practice Manager that "improvements are coming" at various times over the past 2 years but it is not happening. It is not patients fault that there is population growth in Alton and COVID related issues cannot be used as a valid excuse any longer surely?. E consult should not be the only vehicle for getting access to GP services. It states that e consult is available from 07.30 until 12.00 on your practice website but the reality is that due to the practice imposed capacity limit means it is not practically available between those times. I would hope to get some sort of response to this review from the Wilson Practice as to what commitment will be made to improve this situation as it is a wholly unsatisfactory state of affairs.
Visited July 2024
Wilson Practice has not yet replied.
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Review titled The doctor will not see you now.
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 02 May 2024
I had what should have been a very minor issue (kidney stone) to resolve. I went over 3 months to the practice complaining of back pain to my right kidney. E-Consult raised, too late on day 1 they shut at 10am. No way to contact the practice. Next day I raise an E-Consult at 7am, I get a phone back from GP saying (amazingly without examining) its muscular and to attend physio the week after. I attended physio at the prescribed location and date with no one there (this is due to being told the incorrect location). Another e-consult fiasco raised. Called back from another GP who said to come in for an actual examination. This GP refused to consider my pain as kidney related instead ordered blood tests on my gallbladder. A few days later yet another different GP contacts me via Phone to say my liver results are off. More blood tests requested in 4 weeks (note pain is getting worse). At the same time the GP ordered an ultrasound. 4 Weeks later new blood tests came back and Liver back to normal. I had to wait another 4 weeks for the ultrasound. This was carried out, GP reviewed results stating no action required. At this point enough was enough. I changed practice. This then forced me to read the Sonographers results. The sonographer has identified a 10mmx10mmx10mm Kidney stone in my Right Hand Kidney. So 3 months down the road it appears I have diagnosed myself. This Surgery has been going down the tubes for the past two years. They have taken on too many patients and rather than address their way of operating they blame the government. Avoid this place if you value your health! Fortunately the other practices in Alton are much better run.
Visited April 2024
Wilson Practice has not yet replied.
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Review titled eConsult system
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 21 March 2024
I have had to use your eConsult system on several occasions over the last 2 years, to report health conditions that my elderly mother was experiencing. I find it very frustrating trying to use the system. I’m sure that’s the case for those with accessibility issues or those who are too old to have any kind of device connected to the internet. My mother can’t use it. There are too many questions when trying to answer the medical section. If you want to use the admin section, there isn’t enough room to explain things as I discovered recently. The inability to leave eConsults after a certain time in the day is ridiculous. The explanation that you want GPs to be able to respond to all eConsult requests within a day, hence why there is a cut-off time for submitting requests, speaks more to meeting targets than enabling patients or carers to communicate with the practice. I often don’t have time or access during the day, and on coming home have to dwell on an issue overnight without being able to report it. This, coupled with the really excessive length of time it now takes to speak with anyone at the practice, doesn't feel like the best approach in terms of providing care to patients.
Visited March 2024
Review titled Wilson Practice
Replied on 10 July 2024
Dear patient, Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns regarding our eConsult system. We deeply appreciate your feedback and apologise for the frustration and inconvenience you have experienced. We understand that navigating the eConsult system can be challenging, especially for those with accessibility issues or for elderly patients who may not be comfortable with digital technology. We strive to make our services accessible to all our patients, and it is clear that we have fallen short in this instance. Addressing Specific Concerns Complexity of the Medical Section: We acknowledge that the medical section of eConsult contains numerous questions, which can be overwhelming. Our intention is to gather comprehensive information to provide the best possible care. However, we recognise the need to streamline this process and are actively working on simplifying the user interface to make it more user-friendly by exploring other platforms. We have been waiting for further advice from our ICB with regard to funding for exploring other platforms to use following patient feedback. Admin Section Limitations: Your feedback about the insufficient space in the admin section is duly noted. We are reviewing the current constraints and exploring ways to allow more detailed explanations. This will help ensure that all necessary information is captured accurately and efficiently. This again follows a feedback to provider process or looking at an alternative provider. eConsult Availability: We understand the frustration caused by the cut-off time for submitting eConsult requests. The current system is designed to ensure that GPs can respond to all requests within a day. However, we realize that this approach may not be convenient for everyone. We have changed our opening times but now operate a cap to ensure that clinicians are working safely. We, along with Primary Care nationally are all struggling to financially support the increase of patient numbers and lack of funding to follow. Communication with the Practice: We regret the long waiting times you have experienced when trying to speak with someone at the practice. Our reception is manned 08:00 - 18:30 Monday to Friday and the team will help to direct your need outside of eConsult hours. Moving Forward Your feedback is invaluable in helping us improve our services. We are committed to making necessary adjustments to our system to better accommodate the needs of all our patients, including those with accessibility challenges and limited availability during the day. In the meantime, if you continue to face difficulties or have any urgent concerns, please do not hesitate to contact our Reception team. We are here to assist you and ensure that you receive the care and attention you need. Once again, we apologise for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to enhance our services. Sincerely, Rachael Sowerby Practice Manager
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Review titled Excellent Service Today
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by silver surfer - Posted on 14 March 2024
Following a phone call from my own GP, I was seen by her within a couple of hours and all necessary checks and tests done. Great use of commonsense as well as medical sense and all done with a cheerful and friendly demeanour.Couldn't have asked for more. Thank you for your help today.
Visited March 2024
Review titled Wilson Practice
Replied on 10 July 2024
Dear Silver Surfer, Thank you for your review. I am pleased that you have had a good experience of the eConsult system and that you experienced timely care. This is a great example of what we are aiming for in line with national guidance and in order to manage demand vs capacity. We regularly review our feedback with eConsults alongside data and are looking at ways to improve the system further. kind regards Rachael Sowerby Practice Manager
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Review titled Difficult to get an appointment.
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 21 November 2023
I tried several phoning times over 2 days to book a face to face appointment only to get an answer phone message “if your call is not urgent please ring again later”. My call wasn’t urgent so I tried again later, & again, & again. I decided the only way forward was to go to the surgery. When I asked for a face to face follow up appointment I was told that I would have to have a telephone call from the doctor first who would then book me a face to face appointment. Isn’t that a waste of their time? If a patient needs a face to face appointment what is the point of a telephone appointment. I was told that only GPs book face to face appointments so I’m now waiting for a telephone call. It doesn’t seem to be the most efficient way of running a practice.
Visited November 2023
Review titled Wilson Practice
Replied on 13 December 2023
Dear patient, many thanks for your feedback. my name is Rachael, Practice Manager for The Wilson Practice. I am sorry you have experienced difficulties accessing the surgery. We operate an 'on the day service' meaning everything is dealt with on the day and we do not pre book appointments. We realise this isn't ideal for all eventualities but we are confident that our future plans will improve access for our patients. Please be assured- we have had lots of feedback and are working towards an improvement in hours and mode of access to the practice. We are currently in the process of moving to a total triage system which goes live on 8th January. This will see more requests where possible completed online- freeing up the phone lines. We are also waiting for a 'call back' facility now we have been able to have our fibre lines installed. Please follow our facebook page or visit our website for updates on our system and practice which will be coming out over the next few weeks. If you wish to discuss issues further, please send me an email to hiowicb-hsi.wilsonpractice@nhs.net and i will be happy to discuss further. kind regards Rachael Sowerby
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Review titled Very, very, very slow to answer phone.
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 24 October 2023
At 5.00pm I spent an hour on the phone waiting for someone to answer. I started off as no.8 in the queue, which means that on average each caller had spent 8 minutes talking to whoever answered the phone. I find this unbelievable. I was no.2 in the queue for at least 10mins. I gave up. It never used to be so difficult to get an answer. Terrible service. Something needs to be done.
Visited October 2023
Review titled Wilson Practice
Replied on 13 December 2023
Dear patient, many thanks for your feedback. My name is Rachael, Practice Manager for The Wilson Practice. I am sorry you have experienced difficulties accessing the surgery. We operate an 'on the day service' meaning everything is dealt with on the day and we do not pre book appointments. We realise this isn't ideal for all eventualities but we are confident that our future plans will improve access for our patients. We have had issues with our phones over the last few months due to recruitment and training of new staff but mainly awaiting fibre installation in order to have our 'callback' feature installed. The fibre has now been installed and we are pending a date for the bolt on service. We have also had to limit our eConsult opening hours due to the system being overwhelmed. Please be assured- we have had lots of feedback and are working towards an improvement in hours and mode of access to the practice. We are currently in the process of moving to a total triage system which goes live on 8th January. This will see more requests where possible completed online- freeing up the phone lines. We have created a triage hub which is proving to be very efficient in dealing with queries in the most appropriate way at the first contact whether that be by telephone, text, face to face or onward referral. Please follow our facebook page or visit our website for updates on our system and practice which will be coming out over the next few weeks. If you wish to discuss issues further, please send me an email to hiowicb-hsi.wilsonpractice@nhs.net and I will be happy to discuss further. kind regards Rachael Sowerby
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Review titled A Practice In Decline
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anthony - Posted on 12 March 2024
I previously would have raved about how good the Wilson Practice is, particularly in respect of the service received from my previous allocated GP. Sadly a lot has changed based on my recent experience experience of trying to get a referral sorted for a clinical need I have. Having submitted written correspondence, I was told I now needed to use e-consult - software which lacks the flexibility of other forms of communication which sadly for my specific needs renders it unusable. I’ve recently tried twice to no avail which means the referral I am chasing is still up in the air. This is only available in the mornings too - so if you work, or have other issues which prevent you from accessing it during the extremely limited operating hours - you have no means of getting in touch, especially if you are like me and get very anxious making phone calls! In a nut shell I’ve tried to use these systems and they really don’t work for me. There are a lack of options for any slightly more complex enquiries such as mine which makes matters even more difficult. I’ve found the whole move towards e-consultant to be stressful and limiting. The biggest downfall however is a change in culture - I feel the surgery no longer cares or feels welcoming and engaged with patient needs. It is instead hostile and creates a sense that my disability is a burden to them. A change in management has seen the practice run more like a production line - patients are all seen as the same, not as individuals with specific needs. Doctors are becoming harder to access, less engaged and management do anything they can to avoid direct engagement with the public and I say that as someone who has tried to engage. It just feels cold and shouldn’t be like this. Alton has a small town mentality, we have a strong underlying value of community at which essential services should be the heart. Sadly as the only surgery in the town, there aren’t alternatives and the lack of competition I believe is what has allowed standards to fall. There is so much improvement needed - I personally wouldn’t be registered here if there was an alternative. Top quality care should be normalised but it’s not. Management need to look at how the practice was and aspire to be like that - as the path they are on is not a good one for paitents.
Visited March 2023
Review titled Wilson Practice
Replied on 25 March 2024
Dear Patient, I am sorry to hear that you feel the practice is in decline. I believe we are in communication with you personally via the complaints process and hope to reach a satisfactory outcome for you directly. There are 3 practices in the locality and patients are free to register wherever they choose. The practice staff have engaged with training about equality and diversity and accept that one way is not suitable for all. We are always keen to learn from our patient feedback and strive to improve our performance. There are many factors that have been instrumental in us changing our ways of working including a national drive towards 'modern general practice', improving resilience and sustainability of our workforce with a huge increase of demand on our services and working in a more effective way utilising our team most appropriately. Thank you for raising your concern formally which has allowed us to investigate and resolve some of the queries you have raised.
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Review titled Horrendous service
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 11 January 2023
Practice is supposedly open until 6:30pm I tried 29 times and every call was rejected/hung up on immediately this was 6pm-6:25pm I have video proof and screenshots showing calls. Apparently all calls are recorded and whoever was hanging up didn’t quite do it in time for one of the calls so you will here me saying please don’t hang up… unbelievably rude.
Visited January 2023
Review titled Wilson Practice
Replied on 16 January 2023
Dear Patient, Thank you for your review. My name is Rachael Sowerby, Practice Manager for The Wilson Practice. I am sorry to read of the troubles you have been having whilst trying to contact the practice. Please do contact me on hiowicb-hsi.wilsonpractice@nhs.net and I can arrange a call with you to understand the issues and discuss this further. I would like to offer some reassurance that whilst we are having a number of issues with our telephones, we are currently working with the local commissioning board to move supplier. kind regards Rachael Sowerby
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Review titled Outstanding practice
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Lucy - Posted on 02 December 2022
We have been with this surgery for a number of years now and the service they offer is excellent. All the staff are extremely helpful, respond to my queries quickly and you can easily get appointments when you need to. Our appointments are nearly always with our named GP, who is kind, caring and helpful. He always goes out of his way to put my daughter at ease (helped by his supply of stickers!) I would highly recommend.
Visited November 2022
Review titled Wilson Practice
Replied on 16 January 2023
Dear Lucy, Many thanks for your lovely review. We are always pleased to hear from our patients, especially with such kind words. I have shared this with our team which always helps to brighten a busy day and keep spirits high. I shall ensure we maintain a good level of stickers as a small gesture can clearly go a long way. Kind regards Rachael Sowerby Practice Manager
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Review titled Fantastic Practice
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Alison Hamer - Posted on 04 October 2022
The Wilson Practice have been exceptional looking after myself and my close family members over the last few year. Since moving both fathers here their service has been amazing, from Dr appointments, telephone appointments, nurse practitioner appointments, referrals for hospital, physio, repeat prescriptions, e-consult and the front of house staff on reception. I cannot fault them at all. Fabulous, friendly staff. Not only that they have taken on another lot of patients from a closing practice the service has not dwindled at all. Fantastic service, absolutely fantastic. Well done
Visited September 2022
Review titled Wilson Practice
Replied on 06 October 2022
Dear Alison, thank you so much for your positive feedback. I'm delighted to hear that you are happy with the way that we are working and that the combination of our people and services have enhanced the care of your Fathers. We have continued with a total triage system following the pandemic and found this to be a very efficient way of trying to ensure that patients get the right care at the right time,by the right person. I'll pass on your lovely message and thank you so much for taking the time to let us know; it means a lot. Veryan Burcham, Practice Manager.