James Wigg Practice
Kentish Town Health Centre, 2 Bartholomew Road, London, NW5 2BXContact details and opening times
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Reviews
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Review titled Sorry seems to be the hardest word
by circinusmn43 - Posted on 03 February 2023
Like all GPs this surgery refused to see patients all through 2 years of pandemic - but we are almost at the 3 yrs mark and it is still virtually impossible to get seen. I feel like a pawn in a political game. The appointment systems change daily .Communication is so poor I have lost trust things are ever done or safe ,when this is the relationship you are meant to trust the most. They have a telephone only system where a clinician which often means not a doctor, decides if you are allowed to see a GP or have to be put to random multiple telephone appointments where you get more and more ill as time goes on. All of which will end up in you having to see a GP in the end anyway - it seems like such a poor management of scarce time. Or, as in my family's case 999 take to A&E. They don't listen, all this here was said to them over a long period because they are always under stress. But patients are more under stress I think. For some unfathomable reason a communications and media team runs their complaints system, Not one of them are medically qualified so no lessons ever get learnt . The (extremely rude) member of staff who rang us didn't understand a single basic medical term we were using let alone have a grasp of the serious consequences of what goes wrong. They are the same team who have told people on feedback sites to email them when there is no point as they wont understand why what is written here is so clinically poor. Such a very poor management system where there seems to be no clinical person looking at the medical consequences of when things go wrong. 2 different egs from our family , both of which have been said by others with similar concerns here or on Google a good while back . We have very young children. There is no priority system in the telephone triage for under 5's and others have said this and the GPs didn't do anything so yet again no lessons learnt. So you call, hold on in a queue of over 30 patients for up to an hour during which time they could and should have had an option for under 5's because young children's illness is often very unstable. Then reception tell you no appts and to do the same the next day and so it goes on and on until an emergency is reached. At which point they say this is now too urgent for us call 999. They've done this when there is a shortage of children's antibiotics, shortage of rehydration sachets they tell us to use, ambulance and nurses strikes. This has happened 3 times in the last year. My children are now terrified of any medical setting after being admitted through and to local A&E's subjected to painful injections and tests. If we ask to see a GP then the GP should see us. As another example, a family member has very very poor mental health and when that is the case her ability to self care in all respects goes down. She has a psychotic condition which excludes her from all the self referral routes.She is dependent on medication but this is hard to take and needs GP support and has very bad physical side effects that have to be monitored closely through blood tests .Plus she has serious physical health problems and like others with these conditions needs to be seen. But in her case because she is too scared of the phone and doesn't even own one she hasn't been able to be seen at all. This is what happens when GPs decide everyone can be cared for over the phone or by video when no they can't. Some of this would be easier to manage emotionally and make sense of if anyone there ever said sorry. But they never do, no matter what has gone wrong. It makes our family feel like our lives don't matter . We also think this is a discriminatory system for very vulnerable and if the GPs really wanted to change they could. Only simple conditions are manageable by phone. If we ask to see a GP it is because we know we need to see a GP. Believe me it is not a 'want'.
Visited January 2023
Provided by Care opinion
Review titled James Wigg Practice
Replied on 11 October 2023
Dear Circinusmn43 We are sorry that your experience with the practice hasn't been good. We aspire to provide best possible service to all our patients. As a learning practice, we would be keen to find out more about your complaint. Since we have been unable to identify you on our system, please email us on jw.communications@nhs.net so we can get in touch with you to arrange a call or a meeting. Yours sincerely- James Wigg Practice Team
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Review titled Helpful and cheerful
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 30 December 2022
I’ve had to drop by the practice a few times recently for blood tests, to organise prescriptions, drop / collect forms for me and family members. The staff at reception have been very helpful, cheerful, attending with a smile, and nothing was too much trouble! The ‘behind the scenes’ team was also very efficient despite the holiday season! Thank you for all you do!
Visited December 2022
Review titled James Wigg Practice
Replied on 11 October 2023
Dear Patient Thank you very much for your 5 star review. We are glad that we have been able to meet/exceed your service expectations. Yours sincerely, James Wigg Practice Team
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Review titled Telephone triage appt system- very unsafe in mental health
by Marcia7 - Posted on 10 March 2023
The GPs decided that all appointments, routine or urgent have to go through telephone system only. Now, if you ring there is also a message saying the same and so when you have severe mental health symptoms where using the phone is unmanageable and triggers more symptoms, this is what you have to do. Or you don't get any GP appointment. Including when suicidal. Including where you might have hallucinations. Including when you might be in a very dark place. My close relative has very poor mental health, lives alone, doesn't have support workers or carers or a psychiatrist and there is no safe crisis care in mental health in this area. We all live out of London and cannot provide the care she needs and shouldn't have to be the link to a GP who has decided to cut off very vulnerable patients this way. The GP like all GPs has a register of all patients with severe mental illness and it's not as if they don't know her situation as many times she's been in hospital. She also has poor physical health that anyone without a severe mental health condition would get seen for but she can't now because her GP has cut her off this way. What this phone only system does to her is this: Stops her being able to make any contact because she gets psychosis and now the GP refuses to let patients go in and make an appointment or email even when disabled or have poor mental health; Makes harmful dangerous voices she hears even worse and more risky - which is why she doesn't have a phone in the first place; Tells her that she doesn't need help when symptoms are florid and she is unsafe because the GP isn't at all accessible; Tells her not to take medication because her not seeing a GP means no one monitors this; Tells her no point seeking help if and when her life is at risk. She has attempted suicide in the past. Clearly any GP knows full well that having a telephone only system stops very many being able to get a GP appointment but went ahead and did it anyway . Clearly looking on review sites they have been told and any GP worth their salt knows this - it is obvious and very basic healthcare to know the above if you are a busy London GP training practice. How can any GP think this is OK. Really terrified something awful is going to happen to her and we get a knock at the door from police.
Visited December 2022
Provided by Care opinion
Review titled James Wigg Practice
Replied on 11 October 2023
Dear Marcia7 We are sorry that your experience with the practice hasn't been good. We aspire to provide best possible service to all our patients. As a learning practice, we would be keen to find out more about your complaint. Since we have been unable to identify you on the system, please email us on jw.communications@nhs.net so we can get in touch with you to arrange a call or a meeting. Yours sincerely- James Wigg Practice Team
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Review titled No appointments
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Sunny - Posted on 07 January 2023
From long before Xmas time when officially stopped completely making non emergency appointments you couldn't get any appointments. The systems change all the time and they have online consultation which is now closed for days or only open 2 hrs a day but will close without any notice. You then have to call the GP but reception say there are no appointments and this goes on for weeks. I have cancer and I need to see my GP because the hospital says the GP should be co managing my care. So then my health deteriorated and in the end I am ringing to see a duty GP. But reception keeps saying there are no duty GP appointments so I couldn't have any care . My mental health was getting worse because of this and I now I got depression back again and no medication prescribed because I can't see a GP. Then they said they don't see any patients anymore and there is a complicated system where you have to telephone explain to see if you can get another telephone appointment. I don't understand any of these systems anymore. When I ask to leave a message for my GP who I haven't seen in 4 years with cancer reception say they are not allowed to take messages and I must email. But the email reply says they don't deal with medical queries on email. The NHS is under huge strain and I understand all that but this is a bad situation a bad system when you can't understand it when you have to jump through so many hoops . If they made it more simple I don't think the surgery would be so clogged up and the GP should have seen me.
Visited December 2022
Review titled James Wigg Practice
Replied on 11 October 2023
Dear Sunny We are sorry that your experience with the practice hasn't been good. We aspire to provide best possible service to all our patients. As a learning practice, we would be keen to find out more about your complaint. Since we have been unable to identify you on the system, please email us on jw.communications@nhs.net so we can get in touch with you to arrange a call or a meeting. Yours sincerely- James Wigg Practice Team
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Review titled Poor disability access
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 06 November 2022
I am a disabled patient who is completely let down by the practice . I can't use the telephone but I can email and I can use Relay - the standard communication system for those who can't use a telephone conventionally. That the nhs promotes. All emails are ignored so I cant communicate that way. I find it incredible that disabled patients aren't allowed to communicate by email. It had been agreed for years but the policy has changed. I am incredulous that a 'communications team' has responded on here telling people to. Yet can't enable the most essential basics of a system like Relay and emails for those who can't phone. Reception staff don't know how to use Relay and when the operator tries to connect they don's accept the call. They told my family they had never heard of it. It doesn't appear on the sheet they have on asking how a patient communicates. This is very basic disability knowledge regarding the most used App in the uk for those with speech communication problems. This entire appointment system is disability unfriendly. The practice should have done an impact assessment .
Visited November 2022
Review titled James Wigg Practice
Replied on 11 October 2023
Dear Patient We are sorry that your experience with the practice hasn't been good. We aspire to provide best possible service to all our patients. As a learning practice, we would be keen to find out more about your complaint. Since we have been unable to identify you on the system, please email us on jw.communications@nhs.net so we can get in touch with you to arrange a call or a meeting. Yours sincerely- James Wigg Practice Team
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Review titled Compassionate, informed practice
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Mary Carson - Posted on 10 October 2022
A grown up conversation with an experienced doctor who actually listened to what I had to say and then used experience and clear communication in assessment. I was given a choice on next steps and felt informed to be able to make that choice. I left feeling heard & relieved and in charge of the choices around my care
Visited October 2022
Review titled James Wigg Practice
Replied on 11 October 2023
Dear Mary Carson Thank you very much for your 5 star review. We are glad that we have been able to meet/exceed your service expectations. Yours sincerely, James Wigg Practice Team
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Review titled Refused appointment when GP instructs to make one
by cafexe85 - Posted on 21 November 2022
Another example of really poor systems and communication. Blood tests abnormal. Severe chronic condition that requires close monitoring. GP texts says make appointment asap. Reception refuses to do so. Repeatedly told I have to be put in triage queue when already been triaged by the GP who texted. I do not feel it is OK for reception to override. They are not clinicians. There have been no appointments for over 2 weeks. Unsurprising when patients are unnecessarily being put back into the triage system. Management and GPs need to talk to each other.
Visited October 2022
Provided by Care opinion
Review titled James Wigg Practice
Replied on 11 October 2023
Dear Cafexe85 We are sorry that your experience with the practice hasn't been good. We aspire to provide best possible service to all our patients. As a learning practice, we would be keen to find out more about your complaint. Since we have been unable to identify you on the system, please email us on jw.communications@nhs.net so we can get in touch with you to arrange a call or a meeting. Yours sincerely- James Wigg Practice Team
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Review titled Delays not good enough
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by SMor - Posted on 20 October 2022
I am an older patient. It took 18 months for my GP to make a referral after being asked to by the hospital that treats me. I chased with the surgery and was refused a face to face appointment as the reception said they don't do them anymore. I wasn't listened to in the telephone appointments. It's not good enough.
Visited October 2022
Review titled James Wigg Practice
Replied on 11 October 2023
Dear SMor We are sorry that your experience with the practice hasn't been good. We aspire to provide best possible service to all our patients. As a learning practice, we would be keen to find out more about your complaint. Since we have been unable to identify you on the system, please email us on jw.communications@nhs.net so we can get in touch with you to arrange a call or a meeting. Yours sincerely- James Wigg Practice Team
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Review titled Chaotic
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 01 October 2022
Invited to attend over 65 walk-in flu jab clinic. Arrived to find chaotic scene with no one in charge. Spent over 30 minutes trying to find out how to access clinic without success. Left without receiving vaccine
Visited September 2022
Review titled James Wigg Practice
Replied on 11 October 2023
Dear Patient We are sorry that your experience with the practice hasn't been good. We aspire to provide best possible service to all our patients. As a learning practice, we would be keen to find out more about your complaint. Since we have been unable to identify you on the system, please email us on jw.communications@nhs.net so we can get in touch with you to arrange a call or a meeting. Yours sincerely- James Wigg Practice Team
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Review titled GPs need to sort system out
Rated 1 star out of 5
by DDe - Posted on 13 September 2022
I was directed here by Healthwatch. We are with this surgery a very long time and for many years it was very good even when very busy and it felt like all the staff cared . Today I came to this site and see lots of others also now unhappy and very worried and the surgery has replied but only in a cut and paste way telling people to email a communications team who it seems didn't respond to patients raising concerns in the first place. Reception staff say this team are also the complaints team but it is really confusing and the systems in place are very poor experiences and the doctors need to step in and make changes. I don't know why the replies don't deal with what is raised such as problems with econsult not being OK or even turned on most of the time. No explanation . In our case we shouldn't at this stage be sent to medically unqualified admin staff when because problems weren't sorted mine and my partners health got worse and these are medical matters that need a qualified person's input. It has been much more stressful than it should have been . We don't want to make a complaint as then it makes even more stress and we just need our GP surgery to communicate well and not have systems stopping very ill patients being able to have a GP. Econsult when occasionally turned on is so basic it sends you back to the telephone system that is totally inaccessible for my partner and trying to explain what is wrong on the telephone makes them more unwell . The surgery says you can't email for medical reasons and a long list of other reasons but now the replies on here tell people to email . The communication is very poor. My partner has very longstanding severe mental illness to the point they get admitted to hospital. They have other severe chronic health problems and recent investigations that require constant monitoring and yet the GP is totally impossible to get hold of. Prescription issues just go on and on . The phone only system was obviously going to exclude very many patients. As an example they went in and reception refused to make an appointment- not accepting that form of communication which was wrong to do as they were in distress and a medically qualified person should have responded to this distress. They were told to telephone instead which they cannot do when unwell and this response then made their mental health much much worse . Then they tried again and the same thing happened. They don't use the phone because of severe paranoia. Going in to the health centre was always allowed and it should be allowed again. This situation has made my mental health worse aswell as now they don't trust the GP and we have had to call paramedics when all the health problems then get worse. I can't explain here how stressful this is It is then also very stressful for our children. This system just isn't fair or kind and should be changed. Do any GP read these feedbacks because if not they should?
Visited September 2022
Review titled James Wigg Practice
Replied on 11 October 2023
Dear DDe We are sorry that your experience with the practice hasn't been good. We aspire to provide best possible service to all our patients. As a learning practice, we would be keen to find out more about your complaint. Since we have been unable to identify you on the system, please email us on jw.communications@nhs.net so we can get in touch with you to arrange a call or a meeting. Yours sincerely- James Wigg Practice Team