Eden Court Medical Practice was the subject of most concerns expressed by local residents at the recent Health Services Question Time Event held at the Sanctuary. One of the event’s organizers told Vale Mail: “Many residents say that they have difficulty getting a doctor’s appointment at Eden Court, even in serious cases. One gentleman, who was very ill, was told he would have to wait four days for an appointment. On some days, people are queueing up outside the building by 8 o’clock in the morning to see a doctor. It is very frustrating, and very worrying for residents. We received a written reply after the event, but it did not answer our concerns.”
In their statement, Eden Court provide a summary of their appointment arrangements, indicating that some appointments are available up to two weeks in advance, and that, for urgent cases, patients will be booked in to be seen by whichever doctor is free at the end of the booked surgery.
The statement also comments: “most weeks there are sessions that are not fully booked so the evidence is that we are providing sufficient appointments for the population we serve.”
The Centre says that they close on Wednesday afternoons so that they do not spread their resources too thinly, thereby reducing the quality of the service provided.
Six doctors currently work at Eden Court. Five of the six doctors work full-time. Four are partners in the Practice, two are from local hospitals.The Centre also employs five receptionists and two medical secretaries.
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