Walker Street Doctors turns 14: Growing, evolving and staying true to what matters

This September, Walker Street Doctors celebrates 14 years. Significant milestones are an opportunity to look back at our humble beginnings, appreciate how far we have come and reflect on what we want the years ahead to bring.

When we opened our doors in September 2012, our ambition was singular: to provide the highest quality primary care to our community, with genuine warmth, thoughtful attention and respect for our patients’ time.

Dr Kate Kelso and Dr Nerida McDonald were there from the beginning. Fourteen years later, our practice has grown considerably, but the philosophy that underpinned those first consultations remains at the heart of everything we do.

We want to keep getting better at looking after you.

A bigger practice, with the same foundational values

Growth means little unless it makes a meaningful difference to the people we care for.

Our values remain excellence, efficiency, joy, compassion and collaboration. They guide how we care for patients, how we support one another and how we decide what to do next.

We want you to feel those values in everyday interactions: your GP who listens carefully, your reception team member who helps make the next step easier, a clear explanation, or a warm welcome on a difficult day.

Because excellent healthcare is about a great deal more than addressing the problem that brought you through the door. It is also about understanding you and building a relationship with you that supports your health over time.

Your health matters. So does your time.

One of our founding principles was that thoughtful, thorough healthcare and an efficiently run practice should go together.

Taking time with you and respecting your time should not be competing priorities.

We know a medical appointment often needs to fit between work commitments, school pick-ups, caring responsibilities and everything else life brings. You should not have to set aside half a day for a routine visit to your GP.

Our aim is to give your concerns the attention they deserve while doing everything we can to run on time. That takes planning, teamwork and a willingness to keep improving the way our practice works.

To us, premium healthcare means that it is considered, personal and well organised. It should fit into your life, rather than needlessly disrupt it.

More ways to access care

The way you access your GP should reflect both your clinical needs and the realities of your day.

Face-to-face appointments remain an important part of what we offer, particularly when an examination or an in-person conversation is needed. Video telehealth provides another way to connect with your GP when a remote consultation is appropriate.

Our script and referral request service offers a convenient option for suitable requests, while same-day appointments help make room for the unexpected health concerns that didn’t find their way into anyone’s diary.

These are different ways of accessing the same underlying commitment: thoughtful primary care, with clinical judgement and continuity at its centre.

Convenience matters.

We are proud of our progress, but we are not standing still

An anniversary is a moment to celebrate, not a reason to become comfortable with the status quo.

We will keep asking ourselves what could work better. How can we make it easier to access care? How can we communicate more clearly? How can we support our team to do their best work? And, most importantly, what would make a meaningful difference to you, our patients?

Sometimes improvement involves a new service or a better system. Sometimes it’s a small change that makes an ordinary appointment feel easier.

Evolution is not about chasing the shiny new object. It is about upgrading services, processes and equipment that helps us care for you better.

Thank you for being part of our story

To the patients who have been with us since those early days, and to those who have only recently joined us, thank you for your trust.

Thank you for recommending us to the people you care about, sharing your feedback and allowing us to be part of your lives.

And to the doctors, nurses and administrative team who have helped shape Walker Street Doctors over the years, thank you for bringing our values to life.

Fourteen years on, we are proud of how far we have come. We are even more excited about what the future holds for us. 

Our practice has grown. Our purpose is unchanged: excellent primary care, delivered with compassion and respect for your time.