Birtley Medical Group

Impossible to get appointments for serious issues

This practice has significant difficulties with appointment availability, particularly for urgent health concerns, even when attempting to book at the earliest opportunity. The team's responsiveness to patient needs could be substantially improved.

Reception staff were dismissive and unhelpful

I would rate this experience much lower if possible. I had a very negative experience during my pregnancy and after giving birth, particularly with how I was treated by reception and administrative staff over the phone and in person. The situation was serious enough that I felt compelled to lodge a formal complaint, as I had lost continuity of care with my GP before my postnatal appointment. When I registered with a new practice, the clinician there expressed concern about what I had experienced. I find it difficult to understand how this practice continues to operate and feel that serious questions need to be asked about its standards.

Reception gatekeeping made getting doctor access difficult

I contacted the surgery in the evening and was informed that no appointments were available that day. I explained my health concern to reception staff, who assured me the doctor would call me back. However, the call never came through. Instead, I received a text message suggesting I had missed a call, which I had not. When I rang back to follow up, I was told the doctor would ring again later, but the same situation occurred. I checked my phone thoroughly and even had someone else ring me to confirm it was working properly, so the issue was not with my phone. I remained without an appointment and had not managed to speak with the doctor. I felt uncomfortable having disclosed my medical concerns to reception staff rather than directly to the doctor, which did not seem appropriate. The surgery appears to have outdated systems and processes. The approach of requiring reception staff to ask about the nature of health concerns before a doctor can be seen, and the implication that reception staff make decisions about who gets appointments, is frustrating. The overall experience suggests the practice's procedures have not evolved significantly over many years and could benefit from modernisation.

Vaccine team dismissive and unhelpful with queries

The vaccination team staff were quite dismissive. They spoke condescendingly to a young person and made them feel inadequate for sending an email inquiry. Additionally, I was unable to receive a booster dose as the team indicated I did not meet their eligibility criteria.

Felt unheard and dismissed by staff

Disappointing and unsatisfactory experience with patient care.

Deteriorating service and poor patient care

The standard of patient care I received fell significantly short of what I would expect. The service quality has declined noticeably over time and no longer meets the standards appropriate for a public healthcare provider.

Refused wound care after surgery appointment

Unacceptable experience. The practice declined to provide wound care following my procedure, citing appointment availability constraints. When I questioned this, I was told slots were unavailable, though this appeared inconsistent with what I observed. The telephone reception team's approach was unhelpful, particularly from management. Their manner seems to provoke negative interactions with patients rather than resolve them. Failing to meet patient care needs is not acceptable medical practice. This situation warrants formal review and serious consideration of the practice's operations.

Reception staff were unhelpful and dismissive

The customer service experience was extremely disappointing. I am only providing one star as it is necessary to submit a rating in order to leave feedback.

Navigators lacked compassion and basic care

Disappointing experience overall. I found the support staff to lack empathy and understanding in their interactions with me. I would rate this much lower if possible. I was uncertain about receiving guidance on medical matters from administrative personnel rather than clinical staff.

Referral not followed up for months

Unsatisfactory and insufficient. I was referred by my eye care provider to undergo cataract surgery following an initial consultation. The standard procedure required the referral to be processed through my GP practice and forwarded to the specialist hospital. A considerable amount of time elapsed without any communication from either my eye care provider or the hospital regarding progress. My eye care provider made multiple attempts to contact the practice to confirm the referral had been submitted, but received no response and no subsequent follow-up. Given the extended delay and uncertainty about whether action had been taken, my eye care provider resubmitted the referral. The referral was then sent to the hospital several months later. As a result, I now face a significantly longer waiting period for my procedure than would have been necessary had the initial referral been processed promptly. This delay is particularly concerning given that the matter involves my vision and quality of life. The practice should review the feedback it has received and consider implementing changes to enhance its referral management processes. The current standard of service requires substantial improvement.

Impossible to book an appointment here

It is extremely difficult to secure an appointment at this practice, no matter when you attempt to book. On the rare occasion that an appointment becomes available, it tends to be with a nurse rather than a physician. The availability of doctors at this location appears quite limited.

Only surgery option in the area

The only medical practice available in Birtley.

Quick referral to hospital care

The entire process from initial assessment through to hospital care was completed within a seven-day timeframe.

Felt neglected and unable to switch practices

I have lost confidence in this surgery and question how it continues to operate. I feel that patient care standards are not being met adequately. I would prefer to register elsewhere, but I am unable to do so due to catchment area restrictions.

Struggling to get through on the phone

The practice no longer appears to meet the standards expected of it.

Inconsistent information delayed death certificate handling

My family member passed away on a Thursday and I needed to contact the practice to obtain the necessary documentation to handle various administrative matters. I had to make several additional calls, and on each occasion received inconsistent information or was given different names. The local authority eventually had to follow up with the practice on our behalf, and I am still awaiting the promised contact from them. This experience added to the stress my family was already experiencing during an already challenging period.

EConsultation system leaves you hanging

The online consultation system is frustrating, as there's no way to know when you'll receive a call back, making it difficult if you're unable to answer while at work and then having to start the process over again. The practice seems to be relying on the walk-in centre to handle overflow, and it feels like it's been a long time since having any direct contact with a GP.

Repeat prescriptions rejected without explanation or contact

I am increasingly finding it challenging to work with this practice and feel the service lacks a professional approach. My most recent concern involves requesting my repeat medication through the online patient portal, which is essential for managing my health. I was expecting the usual notification from the pharmacy, but it did not arrive. Upon checking the portal again, I discovered the prescription request had been declined without any explanation provided, leaving me without my medication. This situation has occurred multiple times previously. There has been no contact to explain the reason for rejection, requiring me to contact the practice directly to seek clarification. The process of reaching someone by phone is not straightforward or user-friendly, and I imagine this would be particularly difficult for older patients. I am now considering registering with a different practice.

Phone queue made getting through difficult

I have been experiencing ongoing discomfort for over a week now, yet I have not received a phone call to arrange an appointment or been given any indication of when I might be seen. Attempting to contact the practice has proven difficult, and when communication does occur, it feels as though the enquiry is treated as an inconvenience rather than a genuine concern. While the nursing staff have been pleasant, the appointment booking system and overall communication with the surgery require significant improvement.

Online system doesn't solve the problems

Absolutely terrible, never encountered such a poor practice. There are frequent issues with medication orders. Sick documentation is consistently delayed. Despite the online system supposedly making things simpler, I still need to contact them directly to resolve matters.