The Willows Medical Practice

What The Willows Medical Practice does

The Willows Medical Practice (now trading as The Willows & Drive Medical Practice following its 1 July 2026 merger with The Drive Surgery) is an NHS GP partnership operating across two sites in Essex — the main site at Hainault Health Centre, Manford Way, Chigwell, and the Drive Branch at 68 The Drive, Ilford. The firmographics indicate a headcount of approximately 10 with 6 GPs (1 full-time plus 5 part-time) and an extended multidisciplinary team including practice and operations management, clinical pharmacists, a physician associate, healthcare assistants, a social prescriber, and clinical admin and reception staff. The combined practice also trains GP registrars and medical students.

The practice delivers standard NHS primary care services — same-day appointments delivered via face-to-face, telephone and online triage, chronic disease management clinics (asthma, diabetes, CHD, COPD, mental health, osteoarthritis, stroke prevention), vaccinations (including NHS-covered schedules and select private travel vaccines), pathology test result handling, and referrals via NHS e-Referral — alongside digital access channels. Its technology stack is built on NHS digital infrastructure: NHS App integration for 24/7 access to prescriptions, records and appointments; Summary Care Record access; GP-to-GP electronic record transfers; and Accurx Florey-powered electronic consultations with photo attachments and a 48-hour response commitment. The most differentiated technology deployment is EMMA, an AI-powered phone assistant built with QuantumLoopAI that handles appointment requests, prescription queries and routine enquiries via speech recognition and verbal response, with a weekly improvement loop fed by patient feedback.

Revenue mechanics are dominated by the NHS England GP contract (capitation/global sum funding per registered, weighted patient), supplemented by modest, clearly-bounded private income streams: a £20 charge for private non-NHS fit notes covering sickness of seven days or less, and patient charges for travel vaccinations not covered by NHS (Hepatitis A&B combined, Hepatitis B, Meningococcal, Japanese encephalitis, Rabies, Tick-borne encephalitis, Tuberculosis, Yellow fever). Pricing for the private travel vaccines is not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market model is direct-to-consumer: patients register with the practice (currently open to new registrations), access services through same-day appointments, NHS App, electronic consultation, and the Enhanced Access Service partnership with The Shrubberies Medical Centre for evening/weekend slots. Customer engagement is supported by an active Patient Participation Group ("The Patients Voice"), periodic email/print newsletters, and a WCAG 2.2 AA-compliant practice website.

Name

The Willows Medical Practice

Legal name

The Willows & Drive Medical Practice

Website

https://willowspractice.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Willows & Drive Medical Practice is an NHS GP partnership operating two sites in Chigwell and Ilford, Essex, providing primary care — same-day appointments, electronic consultations, prescriptions and chronic disease management — to registered NHS patients, supported by the EMMA AI phone assistant and Accurx digital triage.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Primary Care General Practice

NAICS

Offices of Physicians (62111), Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists) (621111)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail & Walk-In Primary Care Clinics (HLAFAGAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Primary Care & General Medicine Virtual Care (HLALAAAA)

Keywords

• NHS GP services
• Primary healthcare
• General practice
• Chronic disease management
• Travel vaccinations

Headquarters

HQ city

Chigwell

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. NHS Clinical Commissioning Group Funding: Core revenue from NHS-funded healthcare services provided to registered patients under the NHS National Health Service. Services include consultations, treatments, vaccinations, and specialist management of long-term conditions.
2. Private Medical Certificates: Charge of £20 for fit notes (medical certificates) for sickness of seven days or less when requested by employers for employees repeatedly taking time off sick. This is a private non-NHS medical certificate.
3. Private Travel Vaccinations: Certain travel vaccines (Hepatitis A&B combined, Hepatitis B, Meningococcal meningitis, Japanese encephalitis, Rabies, Tick-borne encephalitis, Tuberculosis, Yellow fever) are not prescribed on NHS for travel purposes and may be charged as private prescriptions or direct patient charges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Willows & Drive Medical Practice is an NHS GP partnership delivering NHS-funded primary healthcare services to registered patients across two sites in Essex. Core services include same-day GP appointments (face-to-face, telephone, and online triage), electronic consultations with 48-hour response, online repeat prescriptions, chronic disease management clinics, NHS and private travel vaccinations, test results, and digital self-service through the NHS App and Accurx. The practice also deploys the EMMA AI phone assistant for instant call handling and accepts new patient registrations.

Product overview

The Willows & Drive Medical Practice operates as a unified GP practice offering patient-centred healthcare services across two sites in Ilford and Chigwell, Essex. The practice provides a comprehensive digital health service portfolio that includes same-day GP appointments (face-to-face, telephone, and online triage), an AI-powered phone assistant called EMMA for instant call handling, electronic consultations via Accurx, online prescription management, test results access, and NHS App integration. Following their July 2026 merger with The Drive Surgery, the combined practice offers improved appointment access and a wider range of clinical services supported by a team of GP partners, registrars, nurses, and clinical pharmacists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EMMA - AI Phone Assistant AI-powered virtual phone receptionist developed in partnership with QuantumLoopAI that answers incoming calls instantly, handles appointment requests, prescription queries, and routine enquiries without queues or hold music. Designed to support the reception team rather than replace them. Launched March 2026.
• GP Appointments Same-day appointments available via face-to-face, telephone, or online triage modes. Patients can book, cancel, or track appointments through the NHS App or by contacting the practice directly.
• Electronic Consultation Service Online consultation service powered by Accurx enabling patients to submit medical queries to doctors and receive responses within 48 working hours. Patients can attach photos relevant to their concerns.
• Prescriptions Management Online repeat prescription ordering and management service accessible via the practice website and the NHS App. Patients can register for online services to request medications without visiting the practice.
• Test Results Service Pathology results available electronically from King George Hospital and Queens Hospital. Normal results can be obtained from reception staff between 12 noon and 1pm, with proactive notification for abnormal results.
• NHS App Integration Service Integration with the NHS App enabling 24/7 access to repeat prescriptions, GP medical records, appointment booking and cancellation, and NHS 111 online services. Available on iOS and Android.
• Online Services Portal Patient-accessible portal providing electronic appointment booking, online repeat prescription ordering, Summary Care Record access, GP-to-GP record transfers, and access to view medical records.
• Travel Vaccinations (Private) Privately charged travel vaccines for diseases not covered by the NHS for travel purposes, including Hepatitis A&B combined, Hepatitis B, Meningococcal meningitis, Japanese encephalitis, Rabies, Tick-borne encephalitis, Tuberculosis, and Yellow fever.
• Chronic Disease Management Clinics Dedicated clinics for asthma, diabetes, coronary heart disease, COPD, mental health, osteoarthritis, and stroke prevention, providing regular monitoring, medication review, and specialist healthcare professional support.
• Private Fit Note (Medical Certificate) Private non-NHS medical certificate (fit note) provided for sickness of seven days or less when required by an employer for employees repeatedly taking time off sick. Charged at £20 per certificate.
• Enhanced Access Service Pre-bookable evening and weekend appointments provided at The Shrubberies Medical Centre (Monday-Friday 18:30-21:30, Saturday 09:00-17:00). Practice reception can book on behalf of patients.

Quantifiable outcome

• EMMA answered 2000 calls in a week compared to the previous reception team capacity of 800 calls
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and minor.

• QuantumLoopAIcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partnership to implement EMMA, an AI-powered phone assistant developed specifically for NHS GP surgeries. EMMA handles appointment requests, prescription queries, and routine enquiries, answering calls instantly without queues or hold music.
• AccurxcoreTechnology or IntegrationElectronic consultation service provider enabling patients to submit queries to doctors via the Florey platform with expected response within 48 working hours. Supports photo attachments for medical concerns.
• NHS (National Health Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore NHS GP contract providing healthcare services to registered patients. Practice integrates with NHS App, Summary Care Record, GP to GP transfers, and NHS 111 services.
• eMBED HealthsupportingTechnology or IntegrationIT systems support partner referenced in the practice's data protection and privacy documentation for NHS digital health infrastructure.
• The Shrubberies Medical CentreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEnhanced Access Service partner providing pre-bookable evening and weekend appointments (Monday-Friday 18:30-21:30, Saturday 09:00-17:00) to expand patient access beyond core practice hours.
• Barking, Havering and Redbridge (BHR) Clinical Commissioning GroupscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHS commissioning bodies responsible for planning and funding healthcare services in the local area. Govern prescribing policies including restrictions on certain travel vaccinations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-willows-medical-practice

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Willows Medical Practice