Enter and view: Walker Medical Group

Healthwatch Newcastle undertook an Enter and View visit to Walker Medical Group on 1 and 10 December 2025. They gathered feedback from 366 patients and five staff members. Most patients reported positive experiences, particularly praising staff for being friendly, helpful, caring and professional. Many respondents spoke positively about doctors and nurses, felt well supported and described the service as efficient, with over 60% saying they were very satisfied with the quality of care they received.

The main concerns related to access rather than clinical care. Patients reported difficulties securing appointments, long telephone waits, frustration with online booking systems and a desire for more face-to-face appointments. Some patients also highlighted challenges seeing the same GP consistently, concerns about reception staff interactions and occasional issues with prescriptions, referrals and communication. However, many respondents said they had no concerns and almost a third stated they would not change anything about the service.

Healthwatch observed a clean, welcoming and accessible practice with spacious waiting areas, helpful reception staff and clear use of digital screens to manage appointments. However, they noted confusion among some patients around appointment systems and prescriptions, delays to appointment times and queues at reception. Staff generally described good working relationships with colleagues and patients, although some highlighted concerns about staffing pressures, sickness absence, morale and appointment availability.

Healthwatch Newcastle recommended providing clearer guidance on appointment booking systems, improving transparency around appointment availability and waiting times, strengthening arrangements for reasonable adjustments, making complaints and feedback processes easier to understand, and reviewing contingency arrangements when staff are absent. Overall, the report found high levels of patient satisfaction with care and staff, while identifying opportunities to improve access, communication and administrative processes.