The Windmill Practice - Ratings and reviews
Reviews
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Review titled Frustrating and Stressful
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 27 March 2024
The staff at the practice, overall, are excellent, and I don't believe any of the issues are their fault. The reception staff can sometimes be a little short tempered, but I imagine I would be if I had to work in such conditions and receive constant abuse for things that are not my fault. The systems and process at the practice are inaccessible, unsustainable, and not fit for purpose. It's almost impossible to get an appointment, and even harder to join the phone queue in the first place, which is capped at 10 calls. It would be much simpler and more efficient to allow more patients to join the queue so that we can get on with other tasks while we wait the inevitable 45-minutes+ wait, rather than spending 45 minutes re-dialling and re-dialling. For a person living with multiple chronic illnesses, who frequently needs to contact the practice to arrange appointments for checks, tests, reviews, and treatment, it is very stressful, anxiety inducing, and time consuming. I feel like I'm a nuisance and burden for constantly calling up and having to try three or four times a week to get an appointment for one thing. It would be much easier and more efficient, for patients and staff, if we could book advance appointments online - this would also free up the phone lines at 08:00 for urgent appointments.
Visited March 2024
Review titled The Windmill Practice
Replied on 28 March 2024
Dear Patient, I completely empathise with your situation and we are aware that patients have difficulty in accessing appointments. We have experimented with increasing the number of patients in the phone queue, but this sadly led to increased levels of abuse from patients because they were spending even longer in the queue, to then often be told that we have reached our safe capacity for the day. We have had to switch off online booking since the start of the pandemic because all appointments need to be triaged to ensure that patients are booked into the correct type of slot, the most appropriate clinician and the correct appointment duration. When this doesn't happen it wastes appointments and inconveniences patients. It also leaves zero appointments left for those on the phone, again increasing the levels of abuse. We have chronic staff shortages on reception due to the difficulty in recruiting and retaining - this has an impact on the waiting times on the phone too. Unfortunately we do have a limited number of appointments released each day for the same day, and for 7 days ahead, plus access to the GP+ overflow service. With a population of over 11,000 we do not have enough appointments for all patients that ask for one. One day in the last few weeks, we received nearly 500 calls in the first hour of the day. This is unsustainable and we cannot cope with that level of demand, even with several more doctors and receptionists. We are recommending that any patients who complain about access and appointments write to their local MP and ask that primary care is more adequately funded as it is not a problem I can solve at practice level and affects the vast majority of practices across the country. We hope the near future brings increased funding to allow us to provide a better service to patients. Kim Smith - Practice Manager
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Review titled Trying 5 days to get cancer test
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 15 March 2024
Trying 5 days to get a simple blood test for prostate cancer can't get anywhere reception keep telling me different things father died of prostate cancer so high risk hopeless not ringing any more
Visited March 2024
Review titled The Windmill Practice
Replied on 25 March 2024
Dear Patient, We are unable to respond to online anonymous reviews as we have no means to investigate. Please contact me at the practice if you wish to discuss your experience. Kim Smith - Practice Manager.
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Review titled Not very good
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 05 March 2024
You call up at 7.59/8.00 to be in queue 9, don't get how it works, I was on hold for an hour and half just to get to 1 and all appointments were gone and you can't book 7days a head as it says on the website nothing else is offered accept ring another practice that your not even with, and 1 of the reception ladies is lovely and the other is rude for no reason, babys and children arnt a priority, they just send you to A N E, I just don't understand it at all.
Visited February 2024
Review titled The Windmill Practice
Replied on 11 March 2024
Dear Anonymous, I'm sorry to hear that you have had trouble arranging an appointment. We are experiencing a very high number of calls daily and we are doing the best we can with the resources we have. We have recently received as many as 500 calls in the first hour of the day. This is clearly unmanageable. We have recently recruited 3 new receptionists but we are chronically short staffed on reception as we have trouble recruiting and retaining them due to the pressures of the job. We aim to have 3-5 receptionists answering calls at peak times but this has not been possible for quite some time. We purposely cap the call queue at 10 callers following feedback from patients that they don't want to be on hold for longer than this. If your call is urgent please persevere. We have appointments released daily for same day appointments and 7 days' ahead and also have access to overflow appointments with the GP+ service. If your request is routine, you can submit a request via our website and we will respond within 7 days. We do not ask patients to call other practices so I'm afraid you may have misunderstood the receptionist telling you about the GP+ service, but we can book you in directly there, there is no need for you to call anywhere else. Unfortunately we do not have enough appointments for every patient who wants one. This is out of the control of the practice so we are recommending that any patient complaints about access or appointment availability write to their MP to direct their frustration there. We hope that in time primary care will be adequately funded and resourced. Yours sincerely, Kim Smith - Practice Manager
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Review titled Excellent care and support
Rated 4 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 17 April 2024
I came to get my mental health assessed and it was a very supportive experience. From the receptionists to the doctors, all have been super helpful and caring whenever I’m come to visit here. They make the time to hear what you have to say and the doctors are very empathetic to any issues I’ve had. Nothing but positivity about the place.
Visited January 2024
Review titled The Windmill Practice
Replied on 17 April 2024
Dear Patient, Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a lovely review. This has been shared with the rest of the team. Kim Smith - Practice Manager
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Review titled Reception Staff
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Skye H - Posted on 18 January 2024
I never leave reviews but I want to commend and thank the staff on reception for being friendly, compassionate and professional. On more than one occasion they have gone the extra mile for me, and I just wanted to say, I appreciate you.
Visited January 2024
Review titled The Windmill Practice
Replied on 22 January 2024
Dear Skye, Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a lovely review. Kim Smith - Practice Manager
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Review titled You cant get an appointment here
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 24 October 2023
Rang the practice a few weeks ago, told no appointment available but a dr phone appointment for the following week They didn't call, rang a few days later to be told to get to the dr tried calling but no answer and only option is to be at the practice at 7.30am to maybe get appointment that day So if you're struggling with arthritis and mobility dont expect to see a dr at this place
Visited October 2023
Review titled The Windmill Practice
Replied on 31 October 2023
Dear Anonymous, I'm sorry to hear that you have had trouble arranging an appointment. We are experiencing a very high number of calls and we are doing the best we can with the resources we have. We have recently recruited 2 new receptionists. We have 3-5 receptionists answering calls at peak times. We purposely cap the call queue at 10 callers following feedback from patients that they don't want to be on hold for longer than this. If your call is urgent please persevere. We have appointments released daily for same day appointments and 7 days' ahead and also have access to overflow appointments with the GP+ service. If your request is routine, you can submit a request via our website and we will try to respond within 7 days. Unfortunately we do not have enough appointments for every patient who wants one. This is out of the control of the practice so we are recommending that any patient complaints about access or appointment availability write to their MP to direct their frustration there. We hope that in time primary care will be adequately funded and resourced. If you'd like to contact me directly at the practice so I can investigate your complaint, then please do so. Yours sincerely, Kim Smith - Practice Manager
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Review titled Appointments isse and taking seriously patients
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 28 July 2023
July update. I've been trying to get appointment for three days in a row. First at 8:45 am I've been told to call next day at 8am. Second day and third day several calls at 8:10am, 8:15am, 8:24am no reply "due hight demand" automatic reply. How would you expect people to book anything? Same issue since March. Chest infection no one competent enough to properly check it up. I' have been coughing for 4 weeks now and in last few days it's gotten worse.. hight temperature, shortnes of breath strange whistle sounds when taking breaths.. so it's clearly not cold or flu. I had chest infection in past and looks exactly as I'm having now and I need to be assessed and prescribed something stronger that paracetamol. What I'm advised to do? Get some rest... I'm not having my first illness to be educated like toddler.
Visited July 2023
Review titled The Windmill Practice
Replied on 15 August 2023
Dear Anonymous, I'm sorry to hear that you have had trouble reaching us by telephone. We are experiencing a very high number of calls and we are doing the best we can with the resources we have. We currently have two vacancies in our reception team which we are actively recruiting for. We have 3-5 receptionists answering calls at peak times when we are fully staffed. We purposely cap the call queue at 10 callers following feedback from patients that they don't want to be on hold for longer than this. If your call is urgent please persevere. We have appointments released daily for same day appointments and 7 days' ahead and also have access to overflow appointments with the GP+ service as well as a community pharmacy service we can book into. Your problem could be booked into one of the nurse clinics we run daily for all minor illness and injury or would be suitable for the Urgent Care Centre which is open 7 days a week. If your request is routine, you can submit a request via our website and we will respond within 7 days. As you have left an anonymous complaint, I'm unable to investigate your exact circumstances but if you'd like to contact me directly at the practice, then please do so. Yours sincerely, Kim Smith - Practice Manager
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Review titled A joke
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 23 May 2023
First In will say I do not blame the medical staff or admin. But the systems here are a joke. Call dead on 8 to be number 8 then wait 40 minutes to be told no appointments. Having been up all night to 111 and unable to walk in agony I am told its a half day so only option is to get into town for an appointment. Due to the pain I cannot drive and was just about able to do the 5 minute bus ride but now only option is wait for tomorrow or get into town. Even without a half day this surgery never has any appointments. I feel sorry for admin as they have to take the brunt of patients frustrations for a lot lower wage than the managers who haven't seemed to fixed any of this issues. I have no faith in the NHS or the systems at this surgery.
Visited May 2023
Review titled The Windmill Practice
Replied on 23 May 2023
Dear Anonymous, I'm sorry to hear that you aren't happy with the appointment you were offered. As we are closed for staff training this afternoon, we have less appointments than usual available. I'm pleased to hear that you were offered an appointment with the GP+ service. Unfortunately, we have a finite amount of appointments available each day. We are doing the best we can with limited resources and various staff vacancies. We have appointments become available each day at 8am for same day and for 7 days' ahead. We now offer face to face appointments without the need for telephone triage, following patient feedback. Please contact 111 or visit the Urgent Care Centre if you have a more urgent need. I suggest to all patients who complain about access at their GP practice to write to their MP, as this is a nationwide issue and not something the practice can solve. Kim Smith - Practice Manager
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Review titled Good Dr's however admin staff inept
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 07 October 2022
We're not quite sure what's happened to this surgery. GP's are good however admin and receptionist staff shocking. In last two weeks we have emailed three times however got no response. Emails were clearly written to the email address given on their website.
Visited October 2022
Review titled The Windmill Practice
Replied on 10 October 2022
Dear Anonymous, I am sorry to hear that our service has not met your expectations recently. We are currently struggling with recruitment problems on reception but I am pleased to say we have 2 recruits joining the team this week so we anticipate waiting times to reduce in the coming weeks as they complete their training. However, the practice email account is frequently monitored, and we would not intentionally not respond to your message. If you would kindly contact me the practice I can look into this for you as we are unable to investigate anonymous online reviews. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review, which are used to help improve our service. Kim Smith Practice Manager
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Review titled excellent practice
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Matthew Collins - Posted on 24 May 2022
reception and medical staff do an excellent job considering the daily stress that they are under i find reception staff very helpful and caring always willing to help . medical staff could not be more helpful to me their respect and dignity that they show is first class they are all a credit to their profession
Visited May 2022
Review titled The Windmill Practice
Replied on 25 May 2022
Dear Mr Collins, Thank you for taking the time to leave such a lovely review. This will be shared with the team and is very appreciated. Kim Smith - Practice Manager