Bermondsey Spa Medical Centre

Undesirable

It appears when you phone up the reception they think they know best and to stop troubling them, when they say they will get a doctor to call you you back by 6pm, NOTHING !!!, then you are called a liar because when you call back the following day they said they tried calling but no answer even though I'm indoors all day and my 2 sons were home from work by then

Admin staff didn't handle things well

The administrative team seemed disorganised and the visiting practitioners appeared indifferent to patient concerns. The neighbouring pharmacy also fell short of expectations.

Friendly reception made the visit pleasant

Thoroughly enjoyed my visit here. Much appreciated!

Reception staff made me feel genuinely welcome

I had a wonderful experience at the medical centre. The receptionist was a true ray of light. She greeted me warmly upon arrival, making me feel incredibly welcome. The nursing staff member was exceptional, displaying a calm and professional manner that put me at ease right away. They listened attentively and made me feel comfortable and valued. Overall, both team members truly made my experience special, and I'm grateful for their kindness and professionalism. Thank you!

Frustrating back and forth with appointment handling

I would recommend avoiding appointments with this particular clinician as I found the consultation unhelpful and it resulted in unnecessary back-and-forth communication that consumed a significant amount of my time.

Vaccination clinic left me without support

Received a vaccination at the clinic recently. Within a few hours of the appointment, I felt quite unwell. I contacted the clinic for advice, but was informed that the symptoms were unlikely to be related to the vaccination and that I should seek guidance from my GP instead. That concluded the interaction. It felt somewhat like dealing with a business that offers no aftercare support once the service is complete—once you leave, any issues become entirely your responsibility.

Phone system makes booking appointments impossible

What can I say? First of all, the telephone waiting times are excessively long, and that's assuming you can reach anyone at all. There are only three options available on the phone system: one to book an appointment (which cannot be completed by telephone and results in disconnection), two to order a prescription (which also cannot be done), and three to cancel an appointment (which similarly cannot be completed). If you don't select any of these options in an attempt to speak with someone about something different, the call disconnects anyway. Secondly, if you do manage to get through, you must contend with what feels like restrictive gatekeeping and receptionists who seem to lack adequate customer service training. The clinical staff themselves are reasonably satisfactory, I suppose, but the process of reaching them is unnecessarily difficult. I appreciate how conveniently located this practice is to me and I rely on it, but the organisational management genuinely needs improvement. The experience has been disappointing. UPDATE: I submitted a formal complaint some time ago and received an acknowledgement the following day stating they would attempt to respond within a specified timeframe. A considerable period has now passed since that initial acknowledgement, and I have yet to receive a substantive response to my complaint. I needed to arrange an appointment recently and spent a significant amount of time on hold before speaking with reception staff. The actual conversation was brief, and I was offered a telephone consultation with a clinician the following day. This practice's appointment scheduling system is among the most frustrating I have encountered. I do not want the practice to close because the local area needs one, but I do want to see meaningful improvements.

Surgery failed to take accountability seriously

This practice has proven to be unreliable. I felt that my health concerns were not adequately addressed, and I was disappointed by the lack of accountability or acknowledgement of my experience. As a result of these issues, I ended up requiring emergency care.

Reception staff seem genuinely happier now

The services have dramatically improved. The reception team members are friendlier and appear more content, with a noticeably more pleasant demeanor. The service at the reception desk is also faster. The clinicians I have consulted with are considerably better. The younger clinician I have seen on two occasions has been excellent. I was able to obtain an appointment in a reasonable timeframe and my concerns were addressed promptly. While I had significant concerns previously, I have been very satisfied with my recent experiences.

Long wait but finally got the help needed

I have been unable to work for an extended period. This represents my first visit in many years. I would not have come if my circumstances were not challenging. When someone who has not sought medical care for a considerable time finds themselves in a difficult situation and reaches out for assistance, and if they were to return monthly, I would acknowledge that the medical team's approach is reasonable. I have only requested help on this single occasion over this lengthy timeframe.

Appointment waits made urgent care necessary

If I could rate this lower, I would. Fortunately, this is not my own practice, but I have accompanied a friend there several times. When presenting with what appeared to be typical symptoms of a urinary tract infection early in the morning, there were no available slots that day, and the earliest appointment offered was two to three weeks away. This pattern has repeated multiple times. My friend attended an urgent care centre instead, where they did not receive the same guidance. On another occasion when an appointment was eventually secured, the clinician requested to see her the following day rather than waiting the usual two weeks. More recently, an older patient requiring a home visit was declined this service, necessitating a call to the hospital to arrange an alternative visit. These represent just a selection of experiences. Overall, the service has been disappointing.

Long wait times for GP appointments here

The waiting period to see a GP is approximately five weeks, which feels excessive. I have not yet been able to consult with a GP due to the length of this wait time, as such a delay is impractical for my needs. By contrast, the waiting time for nursing appointments is considerably shorter, and the nursing staff I have encountered have been consistently supportive and approachable.

Reception staff were dismissive and unhelpful

The reception staff member was unhelpful and displayed poor professionalism. The pharmacy team member was also difficult to interact with. It proved impossible to reach practice management even when attempting to speak with them in person. Overall, this was an unsatisfactory experience and the practice may not be suitable for everyone.

Receptionist kept hanging up on calls

This was an extremely disappointing experience with the NHS. The reception staff member displayed poor communication skills and repeatedly disconnected calls. I found it necessary to contact the practice multiple times in order to arrange my appointment.

Reception staff attitude needs urgent improvement

I have never encountered such discourteous and unprofessional conduct from reception staff as I have experienced on multiple occasions. This is not an isolated incident, but rather a pattern of poor interactions. The reception experience has been consistently disappointing, with a notable lack of basic customer service standards that one would expect from a medical practice's front desk. The clinical staff are excellent, and I have had no concerns with them whatsoever. However, the reception experience significantly detracts from the overall visit. When patients contact their doctor, they are typically seeking assistance and support, yet instead encounter an unwelcoming atmosphere and apparent indifference to their needs. It appears that vulnerable patients, who are understandably focused on accessing medical care, are met with dismissiveness rather than understanding. If there is such reluctance to engage positively with patients, it raises questions about the suitability of the role. There are undoubtedly individuals with stronger interpersonal and customer service abilities who would be better suited to representing the practice at reception. Patients should be afforded respectful and compassionate treatment as a fundamental expectation. The practice management should give serious consideration to the standards of patient interaction at the front desk, as the current experience falls short of what patients are entitled to receive.

Dismissive attitude towards chronic illness patients

This practice appears to be among the poorest in the area. The staff conduct themselves in an overly superior manner while treating patients with ongoing health conditions, and there seem to be issues with how medications are managed. I would not feel comfortable suggesting this place to others.

Reception mix-up left us waiting an hour

Attended an appointment in the late morning with our newborn. We received a text message indicating a different time than our original booking, which caused confusion. After arriving, we experienced a significant wait in the reception area. We were concerned about the environment for our infant, particularly regarding exposure to other patients in the waiting space.

Phone support ended call without offering alternatives

I am writing to share my disappointing experience with the staff at a local medical practice, particularly regarding a telephone interaction with a staff member. Despite speaking over the phone, I found the interaction to be unhelpful and uncooperative. The staff member did not provide the information I requested and appeared unfamiliar with the system, which led me to question their technical competency. Most concerning was that the call was ended abruptly, and when I asked for assistance or to be directed to someone else, I was told to call back and speak with another person. When I contacted the practice again to escalate the issue, I was informed by another representative that there was difficulty identifying the staff member involved. Furthermore, I was told that feedback could only be provided using a first name, which I found completely unacceptable. At no point was I offered a proper explanation, and I was unable to obtain sufficient details to provide formal feedback or make a complaint. Additionally, the lack of transparency from management and the overall customer service experience was disappointing. This situation makes me hesitant to recommend this health centre, especially for those who may struggle with communication in English. I believe the practice needs to address these issues to ensure a better experience for all patients.

Quick appointment and felt properly listened to

I attended this practice as an external patient through the extended access scheme and had an excellent experience. The clinician was very pleasant and handled my concerns effectively. The waiting time was also quite reasonable. Overall, this was a very positive visit to an NHS clinic.

Reception staff attitude has declined significantly

As a long-standing patient with this practice for many years, I initially had a positive experience. However, following the relocation, the standard of care has declined noticeably, particularly regarding the reception team's approach to patient interactions. The appointment booking process has become increasingly difficult, and there have been instances where medical concerns were not communicated promptly, with significant delays in receiving important information. These ongoing issues have led my family to seek care elsewhere. I would encourage others to carefully consider their options before registering with this practice.