Birkwood Medical Centre

Receptionist and technicians put me at ease

Attended an appointment this morning for a routine eye screening. The receptionist provided a warm and welcoming greeting. The eye care technicians were skilled and professional, putting me at ease throughout the procedure. I would be happy to return for future appointments.

Long phone waits and unhelpful appointment booking responses

I found the experience quite frustrating. I spent a considerable amount of time on hold before being advised to contact the practice again early in the week. I was reluctant to share specific details with the receptionist about the nature of my call, as I felt it was a private matter. I indicated that I needed an appointment either immediately or early in the week, mentioning it was related to a health concern. I was then told that advance bookings aren't available, though this seemed inconsistent with my previous experience when I brought a family member in and was given a future appointment slot. I also questioned how other types of appointments, such as routine tests, are scheduled in advance if pre-booking isn't possible. When I raised the point about emergency-only availability, it seemed unclear how this differs from what other services handle. I don't call frequently, but when I do, I find myself anxious about the process due to the manner of staff interactions, the lack of understanding shown, and the difficulty in securing an appointment without significant inconvenience. It's an added stress when you're already dealing with health concerns.

Prescription requests require visiting in person

Unable to obtain prescription refills through telephone contact, with suggestion to use the online system which unfortunately does not support repeat prescription requests. The alternative requires visiting the practice in person to submit a written request via the office letterbox, followed by a three-day waiting period. Appointment availability for an in-person consultation regarding concerning symptoms extended to three weeks. A referral for physiotherapy was not provided despite clinical recommendation, necessitating independent arrangement. The practice has experienced a noticeable decline in service quality compared to previous standards. Current staffing levels appear limited, and communication regarding appointment scheduling timescales remains unclear. Overall experience has been disappointing.

Clean practice with friendly staff

The practice maintains good cleanliness and organisation, with a welcoming and approachable team.

Difficult to get appointments or callbacks

If you have the option to seek care elsewhere, it may be worth considering. Accessing appointments can be challenging, and there have been instances where expected callbacks did not materialise as promised. The service availability appears inconsistent.

Receptionists weren't very helpful or friendly

The reception team's demeanor left much to be desired during my visit.

Impossible to get an appointment here

I'm relocating to a different practice as I've found this surgery to be quite unsatisfactory. Getting through by phone is extremely difficult and obtaining an appointment to see a clinician is exceptionally challenging. The service falls well short of expectations.

Reception staff failing to pass messages to doctors

There appear to be significant training gaps among front desk personnel, with medical records not being maintained promptly. Correspondence raising concerns has gone unaddressed, and requests for services do not appear to reach clinical staff, despite previous assurances that matters would be handled. Phone access is extremely difficult, with extended wait times. Front desk staff sometimes provide information sourced from external sources and are reluctant to escalate matters to clinical staff even when clinical staff have previously committed to action. Vulnerable groups, including older patients and those with additional communication needs, seem to be overlooked within the system. The overall experience is deeply concerning and raises worries about safety. Those without an advocate to support them are particularly at risk. The clinical nursing team are professional and caring, though they appear stretched and some lack adequate preparation for their roles in primary care settings. As time progresses, concerns about the practice continue to mount, accompanied by growing disappointment and unease. Having experience within the NHS, such issues would not be accepted elsewhere and represent a significant decline in service quality.

Impossible to get an appointment when needed

This practice no longer meets my needs. Following a serious health condition, I felt the support and care provided were inadequate. Obtaining appointments has proven extremely difficult, and I have concerns that the clinical staff may be prioritising work elsewhere rather than focusing on patient care at this surgery. Now that my situation has improved, I am considering taking legal action against the practice.

Receptionists made appointments nearly impossible to book

My husband and I made the decision to leave our long-standing practice of over two decades. We felt that the standard of patient care had declined noticeably over time, and following a significant staffing change, we no longer felt motivated to remain. We found the reception staff to be unwelcoming, and obtaining appointments with a GP proved extremely challenging. Our new practice has exceeded our expectations and offers a notably better experience. We experienced a sense that our needs were not being prioritised at our previous surgery, and would advise prospective patients to carefully consider their choice of practice if quality care is important to them. We selected the minimum rating to enable this review to be posted, though we feel our experience warrants an even lower assessment.

Long phone queue with no promised callback

Was in queue position 3 for over an hour (someone ahead must have had a lengthy appointment) and the desk closed at 3pm (which felt unreasonable). After eventually getting through by phone, it seemed like there was little interest in helping, and despite being assured of a callback, one never came. I've only been a patient for a couple of months but I'm definitely planning to switch practices. This has been quite possibly the worst experience I've had with a medical practice.

Surgery dismissed concerns without proper treatment

My mother required hospital admission due to a condition that I felt was not adequately addressed at this practice. I have also experienced similar frustration with the approach taken towards my own care, and I am disappointed with the level of attention provided to patients here.

Phone staff rushed me off the call

The staff interaction was disappointing. I found the person who answered my call to be dismissive and seemed keen to finish the conversation while I still had important questions to address. It would be beneficial if the practice could provide additional training for telephone reception staff. I'm concerned about how someone in a more vulnerable situation might experience this level of service.

Phone lines too busy for working people

When you need to leave home early in the morning to get to work, it becomes nearly impossible to get through to the practice. Calling during your break to explain the time constraint and request an appointment, only to be met with a curt response to try again the following day, is frustrating and unhelpful. 😡😡😡

Practice refused urgent appointment without 111 intervention

I have been a patient at this practice for many years. When I contacted them about my child experiencing ear discomfort and a high temperature, I was advised to wait for an out of hours service to contact me. I then called 111 for guidance, and they expressed surprise that the practice could not offer an appointment. The 111 service subsequently arranged for the practice to provide an appointment that could have been made available initially. Overall, I felt that the practice treated the situation as though it were an inconvenience rather than a genuine concern requiring prompt attention.

Helpful staff and convenient parking facilities

A contemporary healthcare facility featuring several internal departments. The team members were accommodating and the premises offer secure parking facilities. The location benefits from surveillance camera coverage.

Surgery left me waiting for critical results

I would strongly recommend finding alternative healthcare provision. I have serious concerns about the standard of care provided at this practice. I am deeply disappointed by what I perceive as insufficient attention to patient welfare and professional standards. From my experience, there appears to be inadequate communication regarding test outcomes, limited follow-up contact with patients, and instances where patients requiring urgent assessment have been directed to emergency services rather than receiving timely support at the practice level.

Reception staff helped me after accident

I just wanted to express my gratitude to the helpful receptionist on duty today who provided me with assistance following an accident that occurred outside the practice.

Still making patients queue outside the door

This medical centre represents a disappointing experience. The practice appears to have retained pandemic-related procedures that continue to inconvenience patients. Access to appointments remains difficult, and the entry process requires waiting outside for staff approval. Facilities such as toilets are reportedly unavailable to patients, which seems unreasonable. There are concerns about the accuracy of information provided and how patient concerns are handled. The practice appears to only respond to requests when there is a visible queue of people waiting. The overall impression is that standards have declined and there is a lack of genuine concern for patient wellbeing and comfort.

Phone queue system needs urgent improvement

Extremely frustrating experience trying to reach the practice by telephone. After attempting to call from early morning, I spent approximately two hours making repeated attempts, with the line consistently engaged. When I finally managed to get through to the queue system, I was positioned ninth and waited for three hours, only to see the queue reduce to second position before the call disconnected. Upon ringing back immediately, I found myself at position thirteen in the queue. I then visited the reception in person, only to be turned away, which felt like an unsatisfactory conclusion to the entire situation.