It can be pretty stressful moving to a new area and trying to work out which of the many GPs are worth signing up to! I personally had a good look through the NHS choices website, but as most people only bother to review places when they are angry... so it can be scary reading!! It makes it sound like all the doctors in this area are useless with reception staff that have been replaced by trolls - eep! This review is in case other yelpers move to Walthamstow and have a similar difficulty choosing a GP!
Addison Road Medical Practice is just around the corner from Walthamstow Village...it is quite a residential area, and there aren't many sign posts nearby, so take a map the first time you attempt to get there! I called ahead to find out the best time to come in and register. I had to fill in quite a few forms...and then needed to set an appointment with a nurse to finish the registration.
The Brilliant bits:
* I have never been kept waiting for a long time here. There is a sign in screen at the side of the reception. This morning I signed in, and was called to the doctor within 2 minutes...then I was out with a prescription within 10 minutes.
* They always keep some appointments free each morning. If you call at 8:30, you can get one pretty easily. The downside of this is that you might need to wait for a non-urgent appointment.
* The building seems new-ish and clean
* The reception staff are friendly, although have little time to help as they are so busy.
* It's NHS, so fixes you up for free (^^)
The less-brilliant bits:
* You aaaaalways need to hold as the phone line is always busy.
* The place seems pretty big, and can be daunting the first time you go here. No-one bothers to instruct you how to get to rooms...so I just wandered around looking at signs until I spot the right consultation room.
* There is a board that tells people the doctor is ready to see them...but no announcement. The first time I went there I was not told to sign in/watch the board, so I nearly missed my appointment.
* I found my doctor quite unapproachable...He did give me antibiotics for my chesty cough, but his brisk manner made me unwilling to ask him other questions. *sigh* read more