Birtley Medical Group

Phone queues and poor prescription handling

I would rate this experience as poor if possible. Medication requests are not transmitted to the pharmacy as indicated. Considerable effort and frustration are required to obtain any action. Phone lines are difficult to reach and responses are slow, and when contact is made, the interaction feels dismissive despite simply seeking assistance. There appears to be a lack of compassion when support is most needed.

Can't get through on the phone line

What kind of service is this? Why is it so difficult to get through by phone? I have been attempting to reach them for several days without success.

Reception failed to follow up on referral

My wife contacted the practice to check on the status of a hospital referral, only to discover it had not been submitted. I subsequently needed an appointment and booked one online, though I was informed it would need to be conducted by telephone. After a four-week wait, on the day the call was scheduled, I received a text message indicating the appointment should be face-to-face instead, and that reception would contact me to reschedule. I was cautioned that this could take a further three to four weeks. I am still awaiting that call from reception. We have decided to switch to a different practice, as our experience has been declining over time. This decision was reinforced by an incident several years ago when our young son was addressed by an incorrect name during an appointment, suggesting the wrong patient file had been accessed.

Reception could be warmer but care is solid

Excellent healthcare professionals providing top-quality care. The reception team could be more welcoming, though this is a minor issue compared to the outstanding clinical service delivered.

Phone lines are frustratingly difficult right now

Attempting to book an appointment by phone is currently quite challenging, and the online consultation system tends to be ineffective. However, when you do manage to see a healthcare professional in person, they provide excellent care. It seems likely that the team is under considerable pressure at the moment, managing a significant workload and various competing demands.

Easy to book and genuinely caring staff

Getting an appointment was straightforward and hassle-free. The team demonstrated genuine warmth and compassion, taking the time to provide thorough support even while managing significant workload pressures.

Online booking system needs improvement

The online appointment system has been disappointing. On two separate occasions, I received email confirmation for scheduled visits, but I was not contacted as expected on those days.

Online form rejected without proper assessment attempt

I'm extremely disappointed by what's happened to me. I contacted the surgery requesting a telephone appointment and was instructed to complete an online consultation form, which I submitted yesterday. An email arrived today, timestamped from yesterday morning, advising me to contact 111 as no appointments were available. My discomfort is becoming increasingly severe, and while I'd prefer to keep this matter private, it's connected to an ongoing health condition I manage. I feel the practice would rather direct patients to 111 instead of addressing a straightforward request that would require minimal time. I considered calling to speak with management but couldn't justify spending nearly an hour on hold, plus the associated costs. I'm very let down by how this has been handled. Perhaps someone from the practice will reach out to discuss what's occurred, but I'm not optimistic. A day later, 111 has now told me to contact my GP instead. I'm being passed back and forth without resolution.

Dismissed concerns twice before urgent care intervened

Attended twice for assessment of a family member who appeared to have a respiratory infection. On both visits, the clinical team indicated that chest symptoms were consistent with an existing condition. Felt uncertain about this assessment, so contacted urgent care services for a second opinion. The urgent care provider diagnosed a respiratory infection and prescribed antibiotics. In contrast, the initial practice offered no treatment during their visits. Found this discrepancy concerning and lost confidence in the service provided. The family member will not be returning to this practice for future care.

Phone lines impossible to reach during working hours

I spent half an hour over two days attempting to reach someone by phone. Subsequently, I was instructed to submit an online referral and given the impression that I needed to understate my symptoms to receive attention. If you happen to miss a call from the practice, you must begin the entire process from scratch without being given advance notice of when they will ring. This creates significant difficulties for anyone in employment who cannot always be available to take calls. Following this, I was offered a telephone appointment scheduled for several weeks ahead. Prior to the pandemic, response times were already lengthy. As someone who works in healthcare and interacts with patients regularly, I believe the practice needs to substantially improve their systems. I am planning to register with a different practice at the earliest opportunity.

Booking system makes contacting practice nearly impossible

Extremely poor service experience. The practice needs significant improvement. Getting in touch is very difficult and the online booking system lacks the appointment options required. I would rate this much lower if possible. This represents the worst appointment booking experience I have encountered at a GP practice.

Phone lines consistently difficult to reach

It's accurate to say that I've regularly experienced lengthy waits of around 45 minutes when trying to reach the practice by phone. While I understand there have been challenging circumstances, this pattern has persisted for an extended period, which suggests the staffing levels may need reviewing to handle call volumes more effectively. I made multiple attempts over several weeks to arrange a blood test but was repeatedly informed that clinical staff were unavailable. Eventually, I had to take time off work and travel a considerable distance to access this service elsewhere. When I have managed to see a clinician, they have been professional and thorough, though the process of actually securing an appointment feels problematic. I'm also concerned about patients who may struggle with the current system, particularly older individuals who might face financial barriers to making repeated calls or lack the digital access needed to book appointments online.

Couldn't book appointment despite repeated calls

My elderly relative received correspondence and text messages from the practice requesting a blood test. When attempting to arrange this, there were multiple phone calls made, with each time being told to ring back the following day. It was unclear why the initial contact had been made if appointments could not be scheduled at that time.

Impossible to reach by telephone

It has been difficult to reach the practice by telephone. Multiple attempts to call over several days have not resulted in a response.

Phone lines constantly busy and unresponsive

This has been the poorest medical practice I have encountered. While I cannot speak to individual staff members, the overall team approach lacks compassion and attentiveness to patients. The telephone lines are consistently unavailable, and the online consultation system appears to go unanswered. It is unfortunate that I feel unable to switch to a different provider.

Long waits on the phone with no answer

This practice falls well short of expectations, and I have attended numerous surgeries that operate far better than this one. The experience here has been particularly disappointing, with what felt like dismissive and unhelpful interactions throughout. The service quality has been poor, including lengthy waits when trying to reach the practice by phone without receiving responses. There appears to be a lack of accountability, as raising concerns seems difficult when staff seem unwilling to take patient feedback seriously. I would hope that someone in a position of responsibility might address these significant shortcomings.

Medication removed without explanation or support

The service fell short of expectations, and there seemed to be little concern about addressing the issue. Medications were unexpectedly discontinued from my regular prescription without clear explanation, and I have been unable to have them reinstated.

Website consultation didn't provide actual care

The pandemic does not justify the lack of effort from the medical staff - patients are redirected to the website for an online consultation that falls short of expectations, only to be told to contact the national helpline at the end. The practice should be embarrassed by its failure to provide meaningful care or proper consultation services. Disappointing.

Reception could've been more welcoming

I have generally received acceptable service from this practice. However, when I arrived fifteen minutes ahead of my scheduled appointment, I was informed in a rather dismissive manner that I would need to return in ten minutes. The interaction lacked courtesy and warmth. The reception experience fell significantly short of expectations.

Impossible to get through on the phone

I have attempted to contact this surgery repeatedly over several days, experiencing lengthy hold times of over twelve minutes on multiple occasions. During calls, I was redirected back into the queue on several occasions. The online appointment system does not function reliably, and access to the surgery in person requires a prior appointment, which creates a circular problem when trying to book one in the first place. These accessibility issues appear to be an ongoing concern at this practice, extending beyond temporary circumstances.