Alnwick Medical Group

Early arrival left waiting with no staff present

I was able to secure appointments without difficulty initially. However, when I attended my first scheduled visit, despite arriving early with adequate time before work, I experienced a lengthy wait and was ultimately not seen. I had been instructed to remain in the waiting area, though this direction came from a member of the cleaning staff rather than clinical personnel, as no staff appeared to be present at that early hour. After some time had passed, I was eventually informed by a staff member that the practice was not yet operational and I would need to wait further. As no one was available to acknowledge my departure, I had to leave without formally notifying anyone. I subsequently completed an online consultation and was offered two appointments—an initial consultation and a follow-up—which I was unable to attend due to being away for a week. The notification instructed me to respond through the messaging system to confirm or adjust my appointment, so I attempted to reschedule via this method but received no reply. A reminder message arrived approximately a day before the appointment, prompting me to cancel, which I confirmed both by text and through the online system. I was then advised to submit another online consultation. Since returning, I have not pursued rebooking. Today I received a message indicating that missing multiple appointments is unacceptable, despite having cancelled and given the apparent administrative difficulties I encountered. From what I understand, the clinical staff are competent, but the practice would benefit from reviewing their appointment booking and patient communication systems, as these appear to have significant shortcomings. Additionally, appointments should only be offered when adequate staffing can be guaranteed. I do not intend to rebook and am considering switching to private care. I feel my time has been wasted.

Referral processed quickly over the holidays

Very impressed with how quickly the referral was processed. Seen by the optician on the specified date. An electronic consultation was submitted the following day, with a response received within minutes. A letter was delivered to the surgery that same afternoon. An appointment notification for the issue in question arrived by text and email on the same day from the specialist clinic. Excellent service during what must have been a particularly busy time. Thank you.

Reception staff were genuinely helpful and kind

Excellent service and help received during today's visit xxx.

Finally got blood tests done after years

I wanted to express my gratitude for the excellent support I received today. I had been avoiding blood tests for many years, but with encouragement from my family and the very professional approach of the healthcare professional who assisted me, I was finally able to go through with it. This was a genuinely positive experience and I'm very pleased with the care provided.

Friendly reception made the visit smooth

Excellent service received 👏

Pharmacy couldn't follow basic instructions

The pharmacy service fell short of expectations, as they were unable to process a straightforward request to transfer a prescription to an alternative location. The experience felt dismissive and lacking in competence.

Booking system creates unnecessary barriers for patients

The clinical staff are excellent, however the website presents information in a way that feels misleading. The reception team are courteous, but they should be able to offer straightforward appointment booking when patients require it, rather than directing everyone toward the online consultation system, which would be better positioned as an alternative rather than a requirement. For those managing mental health concerns like myself who are encouraged to access support, mandatory use of this system can feel like an unnecessary obstacle, potentially triggering frustration that reception staff shouldn't have to manage due to a booking process that should be flexible rather than compulsory. If all practices follow the same clinical guidelines, it seems unreasonable to place the burden of gathering detailed medical information onto reception staff during the booking stage.

Impossible to reach the practice by phone

The practice appears to be structured in a way that makes it difficult for unwell patients to obtain medical assistance. The telephone lines are extremely challenging to reach, and the online consultation system frequently reaches capacity within a short timeframe.

Friendly reception made the visit smooth

The receptionist demonstrated exceptional pleasantness, friendliness and efficiency. All staff members were notably pleasant and efficient throughout the visit. The overall experience was excellent. Much appreciated.

Waited all day for a callback

I have been waiting throughout the day for a telephone response.

Letter delivery lost in the system

Delivered a letter requesting an important referral, and made several follow-up attempts. However, no one at the practice seemed aware of it, and it remained unactioned after an extended period. Additionally, prescriptions continue to be sent to a particular pharmacy rather than the nominated dispensary, which creates inconvenience due to limited opening hours. This experience has been disappointing.

Consistently good care at this practice

I consistently receive excellent care from this practice.

Prescription system causes frustrating repeated visits

Attempting to manage prescriptions and secure appointments has been a consistently frustrating experience. Prescription modifications occur without prior notification, and discontinuations happen similarly without warning. The process requires attending in person and queuing, which means personal health matters are discussed openly in shared spaces. There is often confusion between pharmacy and reception staff regarding prescription quantities, resulting in incomplete dispensing. Completed forms appear to be disregarded. Booking appointments proves extremely difficult, and advance booking for those with work commitments or distance constraints is not feasible. The overall experience has been deeply unsatisfactory. The situation has remained problematic over an extended period. Repeat prescriptions are consistently provided in quantities below what is required, necessitating repeated phone calls to resolve issues. Information is occasionally documented in medical records that was not discussed during consultations, suggesting a box-ticking approach. Appointments are sometimes scheduled unnecessarily or scheduled well ahead of when reviews are actually due. This has been described as the poorest standard of service experienced across a considerable timespan. The difficulties have persisted into recent months. Batch prescriptions are not being transmitted to dispensing pharmacies in a timely manner, creating gaps in medication availability lasting several months. Patients report a lack of communication despite sending correspondence. These ongoing issues have proven frustrating and have had a negative impact on wellbeing and health management. The accumulated experience has resulted in considerable frustration and disappointment with the service provided.

Phone staff gave unhelpful medical advice

The online consultation system frequently experiences technical issues and obtaining an in-person appointment proves very difficult. There are concerns about the appropriateness of non-clinical staff providing medical guidance when booking appointments, particularly when their recommendations may not align with what is clinically necessary. In this instance, advice given during the appointment booking process regarding over-the-counter options was not suitable for the situation.

Phone queue closed when prescription ran out

Incredibly disappointing service. I submitted a request for a repeat prescription for my two regular medications on a recent date, but only one was approved while the other was not. I have now run out of the unapproved medication, and when I attempted to contact the practice for assistance, I found they were unavailable due to a training session. This situation is extremely frustrating.

Appointment booking system needs improvement

The appointment booking process appears to have limitations, as obtaining a slot requires calling at 8am and relying on same-day availability rather than being able to book ahead. This creates challenges for those dependent on public transport, as appointment times may not align with bus schedules. Having recently relocated to the UK from abroad, I found the difficulty in accessing appointments somewhat surprising, though I understand this may not reflect experiences across all regions, as relatives in other parts of the country report fewer difficulties. A more flexible booking system could potentially improve accessibility for patients.

Getting an appointment was the hard part

Once you manage to secure an appointment, the service provided is of a high standard.

Struggling to book an appointment through phone or online

I have been attempting to secure an appointment over the past week. The phone lines become available at 8am, which coincides with when I am typically out working. Today, I was able to reach the telephone queue. At just after 8am I found myself twenty-sixth in line. While waiting, I attempted to use the online consultation system as an alternative way to book an appointment more quickly, but discovered that the practice was not currently accepting requests through that channel. It appears the practice is inadvertently making it quite difficult for patients to access appointments through the available methods.

Long wait for blood test results discussion

A four-week delay to obtain blood tests while unwell was disappointing. Following this, there was a further extended wait to review the results, which appeared to be disregarded in favour of locally-based protocols rather than broader clinical standards. This experience fell short of what might be expected from patient-focused care.

Friendly staff made all the difference

I have been a patient at this practice for approximately a year and a half and have consistently experienced excellent care. The entire team, including clinical staff and administrative personnel, have been unfailingly courteous and supportive, which represents a marked improvement compared to my previous healthcare provider. I am very grateful for the service provided. 👍