Burnt Ash Surgery

Staff made me feel genuinely welcome

The team demonstrated a warm and welcoming approach throughout my visit.

Hard to reach by phone, dismissive in person

It can be difficult to reach someone by telephone. Upon arrival, the staff seemed reluctant to engage. The phones appear to go unanswered frequently, with multiple team members present but not responding to calls. This contrasts with the appreciation many feel for the NHS.

Receptionist's dismissive attitude made things worse

When contacting the practice during a time of discomfort and concern, a dismissive and patronising response from reception staff is unhelpful. Being told that an earlier call should have been made when simply seeking guidance feels disrespectful. The service provided fell well short of expectations.

Reception staff spoke loudly and dismissively on phone

I had a very disappointing experience when contacting the practice to arrange an appointment. The staff member I spoke with came across as dismissive and unhelpful. When I requested that information be repeated due to hearing difficulties, they responded in a manner that felt harsh and distressing rather than accommodating. Overall, I found the interaction to be lacking in patience and understanding.

Phone lines don't work, visit in person instead

The in-person service was excellent and the staff were very welcoming. Unfortunately, reaching the practice by telephone proved difficult, as calls went unanswered on multiple occasions. Visiting the surgery in person at opening time appears to be the most reliable way to arrange an appointment.

Helpful staff but phone lines get busy

The team here has been absolutely wonderful! There can be moments when reaching them by telephone proves a bit challenging, though I imagine that's simply due to how busy they are. I've been a patient for quite some time now, and they've consistently provided excellent support. :-)

Phone lines difficult but doctors listen well

It is a nightmare to get through to them on the phone but this is probably because they have too many patients. However, my GP is fantastic, they listen and if I need them to make a referral or write a letter for my family member they do, so in terms of the actual doctors they're great x

Easy to book appointments at local practice

I have always found the staff to be very helpful whenever I have visited in person, and booking appointments has been straightforward. I have not needed to use the telephone booking system as I am able to attend the practice in person conveniently.

Phone lines constantly busy and hard to reach

It is extremely difficult to reach anyone by telephone at this practice. Regardless of when you attempt to call, the lines appear to be constantly occupied and connection is rarely achieved. The automated message indicates that all staff members are currently helping other patients and advises callers to wait. There is a frequent need to make multiple calls regarding referrals, test outcomes and similar matters. The practice does not proactively provide this information to patients. Additionally, if samples or results go missing, patients are not notified and must discover this themselves.

Phone lines constantly overwhelmed and unresponsive

This practice has significant operational challenges that require substantial improvement. The administrative and management teams need to address fundamental issues with accessibility and responsiveness. A complete overhaul of how the practice is run would be beneficial, with new leadership that prioritises patient communication and service quality.

Phone lines impossible to get through on

Experienced significant difficulty reaching the practice by telephone this morning, with an extended wait that went unanswered. This is concerning when urgent medical attention may be needed. There also appears to be confusion regarding the published opening hours, particularly in the afternoon on certain weekdays. The website indicates one set of times, yet when attempting to call during what should be available hours, a recording indicated the practice was closed for training purposes. This discrepancy between stated availability and actual accessibility is frustrating and makes it challenging to contact the surgery when needed.

Couldn't get through on the phone this morning

Attempted to contact the practice multiple times this morning without success, as calls continued to ring through after the hold message without being answered. This proved frustrating when trying to book an appointment.