Armley Moor Health Centre

Struggling to book an appointment when calling early

I often find myself questioning the purpose of having a general practice when obtaining an appointment proves so challenging. I have made numerous attempts to secure a booking, yet I am consistently directed toward alternative facilities. The criteria for determining which patients receive appointments at this practice remains unclear to me. What factors influence these decisions? Even contacting early in the morning yields no improvement in availability. What I genuinely require is a professional medical opinion regarding my health concerns. It appears that certain patients may be prioritised over others. I feel this may be limiting my ability to access the healthcare services I am entitled to. Having relocated from a region with significantly limited medical infrastructure, encountering these obstacles here has been quite disappointing.

Hard to book appointments when pregnant or with children

I would not recommend this practice, particularly for those who are pregnant or have children. During my pregnancy, I was only able to see a midwife at this location twice, despite being at an advanced stage with additional health considerations. For the majority of my care, I had to attend appointments elsewhere for routine checks, as availability here became increasingly difficult. I was unable to secure an appointment after a certain point in my pregnancy, and when I was advised that an urgent appointment was necessary shortly before my expected delivery date, the practice offered me a slot considerably later than would have been appropriate. The reception process is time-consuming, with waits of at least 40 minutes being common. Additionally, I received inconsistent information depending on which staff member I spoke with, which affected my confidence in the service. I was also charged for medication related to my pregnancy, only to be informed afterwards that I should not have been required to pay for it. I have decided to register with a different practice in the hope of receiving a more straightforward experience going forward.

Helpful reception staff made the difference

An excellent facility with a courteous and competent approach to care.

Professional and helpful reception staff

Excellent Competent

Friendly staff who really listened to me

Excellent experience with friendly and very helpful staff members. The clinical team provided great support and assistance. Thank you.

Home visit was professional and caring

Please accept this as a verified review. A healthcare professional came to visit my elderly relative today. They demonstrated courtesy, professionalism and appeared genuinely attentive to their needs. Both my relative and I felt very satisfied with the care provided.

Couldn't get through on the phone line

I have had considerable difficulty accessing medical support at this practice. Over the course of a week, I have repeatedly attempted to make contact, only to encounter unavailability. When I have managed to reach the practice, I have been informed that staff are occupied and asked to call back at a later time. Upon following this instruction and ringing back as suggested, I have found the lines busy once more.

Long phone queues and slow appointment access

Contacting the practice or securing an appointment appears to be quite challenging. I recently waited approximately 35 minutes while on hold and had only progressed from 14th to 5th in the queue. Regardless of when I attempt to call, I consistently experience waits exceeding 30 minutes. It seems the reception team may be understaffed or unavailable to take calls. Since reception calls typically shouldn't require extended waiting periods, the prolonged hold times suggest there may be insufficient staffing to manage call volumes. Additionally, I've received inaccurate information from reception staff on several occasions. I believe the reception team would benefit from additional training before providing guidance, or alternatively, such advice should be directed exclusively to clinical staff.

Difficult to book appointments with staff

The appointment booking service provided by the practice staff has been disappointing.

Friendly reception made the visit pleasant

Positive

Receptionists gave misleading information about appointment availability

The reception staff provided information over the phone that I found misleading. My wife and I needed to register elsewhere because obtaining an appointment here proved difficult. I attempted to book daily at 8 o'clock but received the same response each time stating availability was full and to try again the next day. On Friday morning, I was advised to call back on Monday, which felt frustrating. When I inquired about weekend hub appointments while in the process of registering with another practice, I was told those slots were also full. However, when the receptionist at my new practice checked the same hub, they found seven available appointments and booked one for me instead. I would recommend considering alternative options.

Reception staff couldn't track referral progress

Getting an appointment proved to be quite challenging initially. After speaking with a clinician, a hospital referral was deemed necessary. However, the reception and administrative staff were unable to confirm whether the referral had actually been submitted. This led to multiple phone calls and visits to the practice before eventually discovering that the referral had been sent to the hospital after a considerable delay. Now I find myself needing to arrange another telephone consultation followed by an in-person visit. The reception team appeared reluctant to assist in locating an earlier appointment slot, which has left me feeling like matters are progressing in circles. I would suggest considering alternative practices.

Couldn't get through on the phone

If the NHS were to transition to a private model, GP practices operating in this manner would likely struggle financially.

Long wait times and unhelpful reception staff

I would recommend considering other medical facilities. It appears that receiving satisfactory care at this practice may be a matter of chance rather than consistent service.

Practice kept delaying baby's appointment repeatedly

I have been visiting this practice for the past few weeks regarding a concern with my child. On each occasion, I was advised to return the following week for further assessment. However, after multiple visits spanning several weeks, I was informed that the matter could no longer be addressed and that I would be unable to receive the support I was seeking. I found this experience to be deeply frustrating and feel that the NHS should be aware of how this situation was handled at this location, as I believe the service provided fell short of what should be expected.

Struggling to book appointments when needed

It is extremely difficult to secure an appointment regardless of when you attempt to book, making it feel like obtaining care relies on chance rather than availability.

Receptionist blocked access to doctor for months

I am extremely frustrated with the reception staff making clinical decisions on my behalf and preventing me from speaking directly with my doctor. Additionally, I was asked highly sensitive questions that should have remained confidential between myself and my healthcare provider. This is deeply concerning. I have had to lodge a complaint with the NHS to progress my treatment, which could have been completed many months earlier. The reception team's conduct has been seriously inadequate, and they should receive formal guidance about the boundaries of their role, including that they cannot make decisions about appointment allocation or ask certain types of questions. Their actions have negatively impacted my health, and I am considering pursuing legal advice regarding potential negligence. I was advised by a clinician that if this happens again, I should request to speak with a senior staff member. I was left waiting for an extended period before being admitted to hospital as an emergency, where I was told immediate admission was necessary. During those months of delay, my condition deteriorated significantly, resulting in serious complications and permanent changes to my quality of life. The hospital provided appropriate emergency care once I was admitted, but the delay in initial assessment and treatment at the GP surgery level was unacceptable. The reception staff should not have been making medical judgments or requesting personal health information. This situation could have been prevented with proper triage and clinical assessment at an earlier stage. I have submitted a complaint against the GP surgery specifically, as I believe the delay in care at that level was the critical failure. I now require ongoing medication and must be extremely cautious around others with infections due to my compromised health status. The long-term consequences of this delay have significantly affected my wellbeing and independence.

Struggling to book appointments through the phone queue

I have been attempting to secure a routine appointment for the past couple of weeks without success, as the practice appears to be fully booked whenever I manage to get through. This has been quite frustrating.

Felt listened to and well explained

Had my ingrowing toenail removed today, and the clinician was absolutely wonderful. They explained all the available options in great detail, demonstrated professionalism throughout, and had a great sense of humour. I would definitely be happy to return for any future procedures.

Friendly reception made the visit worthwhile

A helpful and pleasant facility.