Ashcroft Surgery

Long phone queues made booking difficult

I recently spent nearly two hours across two days attempting to schedule an appointment for a blood test following a text message request from the practice. While the receptionist I eventually spoke with was polite and supportive, the length of time spent waiting to reach someone was frustrating and unacceptable. As a long-standing patient who has been with this practice for many years, I have noticed a decline in the overall standard of service. I would encourage the practice management team to review their systems and processes to improve efficiency.

Phone queue made booking difficult

I recently attempted to book an appointment for my young child over the phone, which took approximately 18 minutes. While the receptionist was courteous and helpful in manner, they were unable to provide an available slot and suggested I call back early in the morning, with the possibility of securing an appointment for the following week. However, this timing would conflict with my existing commitments. I found this experience to be unsatisfactory in terms of service provision.

Long phone queues and frustrating answerphone messages

Poor service quality with frustratingly long telephone hold times and repetitive automated messaging.

Repeatedly hung up on when trying to book appointments

I have been very frustrated with the reception team, as I have experienced multiple disconnected calls and am in need of having blood work completed. During a recent attempt to contact the practice, I was informed they were not taking on new patients and was redirected to an out-of-hours service, who subsequently directed me to accident and emergency. This was disappointing as I had previously attended accident and emergency and understood they were the appropriate service to arrange the blood work and cardiac imaging I require. I have found the clinical staff at the practice to be professional and caring. My concerns are primarily regarding the reception experience and the difficulties I have faced in accessing the services I need.

Receptionists ignored calls and were rude

The reception staff at this practice were extremely unhelpful. While waiting to be seen, my partner attempted to call the surgery but the phone went unanswered for an extended period before being disconnected. This has been my worst experience at a medical practice. The front desk team could benefit from improving their communication and courtesy towards patients.

Practice doesn't answer the phone

The practice is extremely difficult to reach by phone.

Practice struggling with staffing and appointment availability

Called to arrange an appointment for a family member, only to be informed that the practice is currently limited to emergency appointments due to staffing constraints. This is frustrating, as it's not an isolated occurrence. The service needs significant improvement.

Long waits despite having booked appointment

The appointment that was scheduled for my child was not available when I arrived. I experienced a lengthy wait with my young child before being seen by the healthcare provider. On a previous occasion, I also had to wait considerably longer than expected despite having a confirmed appointment.

Felt properly listened to and informed

I attended this practice for the first time following a referral to a specialist service. The clinician I saw was excellent, providing clear explanations that helped me understand my current situation and what to expect moving forward with my care plan.

Impossible to reach the surgery by phone

I attempted to contact the surgery on several occasions without success. After waiting for extended periods, I was unable to reach anyone by telephone during morning hours, and similarly experienced no response when calling in the late afternoon. While I recognised they may have been occupied initially, the persistent inability to connect over multiple days proved extremely frustrating. Having tried repeatedly since earlier in the week through to the following week without managing to speak to anyone, I found this level of accessibility deeply disappointing.

Receptionist made the booking process easy

The reception staff member was pleasant and provided excellent assistance.

Long phone waits made booking difficult

Extremely frustrated with the difficulty in securing an appointment for my young child. I spent considerable time attempting to reach the practice by phone over a two-day period without success, as no one answered my calls. This prolonged wait to book an appointment has been very disappointing.

Friendly staff despite long phone queues

The clinical team members have consistently demonstrated kindness and understanding throughout my visits. While appointment availability through telephone booking can involve extended waiting periods, this appears to be a common challenge across general practice services. The reception staff have always been welcoming when I have managed to reach them, and the experience simply requires some patience during the booking process.

Promised callback never came during crisis

Contact was made regarding a mental health concern. The practice scheduled an appointment for the following week, but when the situation deteriorated and contact was made the next morning, it was indicated that a clinician would call that day. However, after waiting through the afternoon without receiving the call, contact was eventually made at 5:20pm, at which point it was communicated that a telephone appointment would need to be scheduled for a later date. Given the nature of the concern raised, there was an expectation that a welfare check might have been prioritised to offer immediate support and assistance. Instead, a brief note was entered into the system by the clinician without what felt like adequate time spent understanding the situation. It is notable that the practice lists mental health conditions among their areas of focus, which made the response feel inconsistent with their stated expertise. This experience was deeply disappointing.

Promised callback never arrived, frustrating experience

Generally a satisfactory service, however I recently requested assistance that went unaddressed. Although I was assured by staff that they would contact me, this callback did not materialise. Additionally, I have been unable to locate the practice's email contact option on their website.

Phone lines constantly unavailable and unreliable

Unable to reach anyone by telephone despite multiple attempts. A visiting healthcare professional also experienced difficulty getting through. Calls requesting a callback have gone unanswered for an extended period. The communication service has been consistently poor.

Reception staff were unhelpful and dismissive

The service provided was disappointing and did not meet expectations in terms of patient support.

Long phone queues and unhelpful reception staff

It's been difficult to reach anyone by telephone. I've experienced lengthy wait times when trying to get through, particularly during afternoon hours. This isn't an isolated incident for me. Additionally, I found the reception staff to be unwelcoming during my interactions. The communication style wasn't what I would expect from a healthcare provider. I'm seriously considering transferring my family's care to a different practice.

Polite staff made us feel welcome

Why do impatient individuals always complain. This is a good surgery. The healthcare professionals and staff members are courteous and respectful. We have been attending for many years, and remain very satisfied.

Reception staff helped sort out medical files quickly

I'm very grateful to the reception team member who assisted my mum today, and to the staff member who helped me obtain my daughter's medical records. The doctors at this practice are excellent and have genuinely taken the time to listen, understand my concerns, and provide valuable support for my daughter, myself, and my mum. Thank you so much to everyone involved—you're all doing your best during what has been a challenging period. 💖