Bankhouse Surgery

Poor service and long waiting times

Unsatisfactory experience with the service provided.

Refused to discuss medication concerns

This surgery has deteriorated significantly. I have experienced ongoing difficulties with them over an extended period, and during a recent appointment, a clinician declined to discuss my concerns about medication and suggested I either consult a different clinician at the practice or seek care elsewhere. They also commented that they doubted another clinician would offer a different perspective. I lodged a formal complaint following this interaction. My recommendation would be to consider alternative healthcare providers if you have the option to do so.

Felt unheard and caught in repeated admin errors

I felt that my concerns were not adequately listened to during my appointment, and I did not receive the support I was hoping for. I was informed that a diagnosis might not be forthcoming, as appears to be the case for many patients, with the suggestion that my symptoms could be neurological in nature. I was concerned that my medical history, specifically regarding a previous implant issue and the associated health risks I had been warned about, was not taken into consideration during the consultation. I attended an appointment to have blood tests taken, but the staff were uncertain about which tests were needed and were unable to proceed. I subsequently received communication indicating there had been an administrative error, and I was asked to return the following day. When I returned, there was no record of the appointment on the system, and again the staff were unsure which tests should be performed. I was also referred for investigation of arm pain that was causing me significant distress and limiting my mobility. I understood I would be referred to a specialist service, but when I followed up, I discovered the referral had been made as a routine telephone consultation rather than as an urgent request. When I contacted the specialist service directly, I was informed that an expedited referral should have been submitted given the severity of my symptoms. Overall, I felt there was a lack of clarity and coordination within the practice. I intend to escalate my concerns through formal complaint channels. During my visit, I overheard a staff member make a comment suggesting that working at the practice required an unusual level of problem-solving.

Bloods appointment chaos left diabetes test incomplete

On behalf of my husband Blood tests were arranged - felt a key screening was overlooked?!? Attended for blood work related to a health concern - the procedure didn't proceed as expected?!? Was referred to hospital for further blood work - the referral appears to have gone missing?!?!? Returned to the surgery for blood work but the earliest available appointment was two weeks away?!?!?

Practice doesn't act on patient concerns

Why are people rating this practice? Do patients actually get seen, and if they do, why aren't the concerns they've raised being addressed?

Frustrating appointment availability despite quiet waiting room

How is it so difficult to secure an appointment when there appear to be very few patients waiting to be seen?

Appointment cancelled without proper notification

Attended an appointment with my autistic daughter, only to discover it had been cancelled without prior notification to myself, my daughter, or her father. The practice indicated they had sent a cancellation text, though neither of us received it. We had received a reminder message the day before confirming the appointment. My daughter was very anxious about the visit. She now faces another two weeks of worry before the rescheduled appointment.

Consistent care and friendly staff throughout

I have attended this surgery on numerous occasions throughout the years and have consistently been very satisfied with the level of service provided by the entire team. Please continue with the excellent work you are doing.

Reception staff were dismissive and unhelpful

I found the staff to be quite unhelpful and unwelcoming. I was very disappointed with my experience and have decided to switch to a different practice. I would not recommend this surgery if you value good customer service and accessibility to appointments. Very poor experience overall.

Couldn't get through on the phone

I found the service to be ineffective and lacking in support.

Felt unheard during recent appointments

I have become increasingly dissatisfied with this practice and would prefer to seek care elsewhere. The recent appointments I have attended have left me feeling that my concerns were not properly heard or taken into consideration.

Reception staff were dismissive about my concern

Always helpful Can usually get an appointment within the day if needed Edit 6 years later... Had an online consultation but the response didn't address my concern. Reception staff seemed dismissive and disputed a conversation I had with them the previous day. A telephone consultation was conducted well, but I was advised to book an in-person appointment if the issue persisted. The next available slot was several weeks away, which felt frustrating given the urgency of my situation.

Receptionist listened and got me seen quickly

I called in the afternoon to request an appointment, and the receptionist who answered was courteous and attentive when asking about my symptoms. They called me back and arranged for me to come in within the hour. Both the reception staff and the clinician I saw were equally polite during my visit. I felt heard and understood throughout the consultation, which included a comprehensive examination and a treatment plan. The overall service and care I received were excellent.

Unexpected observers made appointment worse

If I could give zero stars I would. Every single visit to this practice presents some kind of problem. I attended an appointment today and upon entering the consultation room, there were two trainee healthcare professionals present observing. As someone who experiences significant anxiety, I find it challenging to communicate with a clinician in the first place, let alone with additional people present watching the interaction. This caused me to feel panicked and unable to articulate my concerns properly, and I felt compelled to leave. I should have been consulted about this arrangement beforehand, but no such discussion took place. Additionally, I have ongoing concerns about my experience with a particular clinician at the practice. In my view, they do not fully listen to what patients are saying, they do not conduct thorough investigations, and they appear to form a diagnosis early on and proceed with that assumption rather than exploring other possibilities. I feel they lack understanding of my situation. On the occasions I have seen this clinician, I have not felt my concerns were properly diagnosed, and my issues have remained unresolved.

Rude reception staff and impossible appointment booking

Accessing appointments at this practice has proven difficult, and interactions with reception staff have been disappointing, resulting in an overall unsatisfactory experience. Following a subsequent visit two years later, the situation appeared to have deteriorated significantly. The practice would receive a much lower rating if that were possible. There appears to be a pattern of staff members posting positive reviews on this platform, which raises questions about the accuracy of the current rating relative to the actual standard of service. Additionally, there have been concerns about how formal complaints are handled, with the impression that responses may not be entirely straightforward, and that patients raising concerns risk being removed from the register. After switching to an alternative practice, an appointment was obtained within a day. Following a report made to NHS England regarding experiences at the previous surgery, the response received was perceived as dishonest, with a request for removal from the register arriving shortly after already transferring elsewhere. This sequence of events has led to a strong conviction that the practice prioritises protecting its reputation over acknowledging concerns and taking responsibility. Based on this experience, the recommendation would be to consider other options when selecting a GP practice.

Medication approval delayed, had to use hospital pharmacy

Was unable to obtain the required medication authorisation from the doctor following a referral from a specialist nurse the previous day. Despite being informed at 3pm that the paperwork still hadn't been processed, there was a significant delay in getting this resolved for a vulnerable patient with mobility issues. The lack of urgency in addressing this matter was disappointing, and ultimately had to source the medication through the hospital pharmacy instead.

Impossible to book appointments here

This practice has not met my expectations. I have found it difficult to secure appointments, and when contacting the surgery by telephone, the staff have seemed unhelpful and disengaged. I would not recommend this surgery to others.

Struggled to get mental health support here

If you experience mental health difficulties, you may find it challenging to register with this practice, as appointments are hard to obtain and concerns may be dismissed as fatigue.

Quick response to urgent spider bite concern

Needed urgent advice about a bite. A member of the clinical team contacted me within the hour. Excellent service. Thank you to the healthcare staff involved.

Phone appointments don't work for everyone

Unable to secure an in-person consultation, instead offered a telephone appointment which proved unhelpful. To make matters worse, the call came significantly later than the scheduled time, rather than when promised. This caused considerable inconvenience given other commitments. The overall service experience was deeply disappointing.