Patients question access to care through Newbury Street Practice’s AI receptionist in Wantage, as the surgery defends the system.
Patients at a GP surgery in Wantage have raised concerns about accessing care through a recently introduced artificial intelligence receptionist, with some describing difficulties getting through to a human member of staff.
Newbury Street Practice, based at The Heath Centre, introduced AI Andi in July. The system, provided through the Anima Health platform, handles calls to the surgery and can transfer callers to a human receptionist.
The practice says the technology is intended to improve access, increase capacity and give staff more time to support patients who cannot or prefer not to use digital services. But accounts shared by patients on social media have highlighted frustrations with the new arrangements.
Jo Rogers said she had encountered a “wall” when trying to contact the surgery, describing a 20-minute wait in a telephone queue after the AI system had determined it could not help her.
She said she had subsequently accessed care through Anima’s online service, but added that the experience “puts you off ever bothering”.
Evie Chapman described being on hold for hours while trying to book a routine appointment, despite the introduction of the new system.
“Sometimes situations are nuanced and people want to speak to a real person for help,” she said.
Tricia Lockhart, 65, said the AI receptionist had misunderstood her reason for calling, apparently assuming she was enquiring about pregnancy when she wanted to discuss medication.
“Quite an achievement for a 65 yr old,” she said, describing the experience as frustrating. Although she said she might otherwise have found the mistake amusing, she was concerned that such misunderstandings could be dangerous.
Lockhart said the surgery had since contacted her and she had been seen.
Other patients have questioned whether the system prioritises efficiency over personal support. John Allinson said he believed the introduction of AI was about cutting costs rather than improving patient care.
The accounts come against a backdrop of concern about access to GP services in the area. Newbury Street Practice was rated inadequate by the Care Quality Commission in 2022 and required improvement in 2023, according to the inspection history cited in the concerns raised about the surgery.
The introduction of the AI receptionist has also drawn a response from Olly Glover, the Liberal Democrat MP for Didcot and Wantage, who said constituents had contacted him about the situation.
Glover said the practice, like others, was trying to streamline its administrative processes. He argued that digital tools could allow staff to spend more time supporting patients who were less confident using technology, but acknowledged the pressure on primary care services across the constituency.
“There is clearly pressure on primary care services across our constituency, where we have seen high levels of housing growth,” he said.
He added that he continued to raise the need for more surgeries and healthcare professionals with the Thames Valley Integrated Care Board.
Glover has also presented a bill to Parliament calling for infrastructure targets to accompany housing targets, arguing that successive governments had not given sufficient priority to providing healthcare and other services alongside new homes.
In response to the concerns, a spokesperson for Newbury Street Practice said the purpose of introducing the tools was not to cut costs, but to improve access and increase capacity.
The practice said feedback on Andi had been 79 per cent positive during its first month of operation, rising to 84 per cent the following month.
“We know some patients, particularly those less confident with technology, have found the change harder, and as with any new system it takes time to settle,” the spokesperson said.
The practice said it regularly reviewed its processes, systems and patient feedback to determine what further support might be needed.
Anima was introduced to help manage increasing demand and reduce pressure on morning telephone lines. The practice emphasised that neither Anima nor Andi makes clinical decisions and that patient safety remains paramount.
The spokesperson said the service was used by more than 1,300 practices across the UK and had undergone NHS assurance checks covering clinical safety, data protection and security.
Since launching the system, Newbury Street Practice said it had received more than 11,000 patient requests, averaging about 180 each working day. More than 60 per cent of appointments arranged through the system, it added, took place on the same day.
The contrasting accounts illustrate the challenge facing GP practices as they introduce digital systems to manage demand: increasing administrative capacity while ensuring that patients can still obtain the personal support they need when technology does not resolve their concerns.
Reporting contribution by Isabella Harris, Local Democracy Reporter (LDR) for Oxfordshire, covering local politics, council meetings and planning decisions across six councils in the county.
