Cambridge Avenue Medical Centre

Felt truly listened to and supported

I would give a five star rating to the clinical team, including the doctor, the specialist nurse, and the administrative staff member, as they have been excellent in their support. The doctor has provided me with genuine help and I am very grateful for the attentive and considerate care I have received.

Hard to book but staff really care

This practice has been instrumental in my care for three decades. Over the last couple of years, securing appointments has proven challenging, though this appears to be a widespread issue across many surgeries. Once I do manage to get an appointment, the clinical staff have been excellent and consistently shown willingness to go above and beyond in supporting my needs. I would happily recommend this practice to others and trust they will resolve the appointment availability concerns in due course.

Struggling to get face-to-face appointments

Over time, the quality of care at this practice appears to have declined. I am finding it increasingly difficult to arrange in-person appointments, which is particularly challenging given my health needs. I struggle to communicate my health concerns effectively over the phone, and I feel that the clinical team may not be fully engaged with their patients. I am considering switching to a different practice.

Phone lines constantly busy and hard to reach

Difficult to reach the practice. The telephone line appears to be consistently busy.

Friendly practice with reliable appointment availability

Excellent clinical staff with no problems obtaining treatments. Appointment availability can be somewhat inconsistent when calling ahead, though this is fairly common. I would suggest this practice to others and am pleased with the recent improvements to the facilities.

Online booking system forced repeated form submissions

Thoroughly disappointing service. Since registering with the practice four weeks ago, I have had five separate interactions with them, and each one has been a negative experience. During my initial appointment with a nurse, I was advised to see a clinician but was told to use their online booking system despite being at the practice. I used the online service, which operates around the clock, and spent twenty minutes completing a questionnaire about my symptoms and needs, only to be informed I needed to resubmit the form. After completing it again, I was instructed to resubmit during business hours. I attempted the online service again midweek and received no response by the following week. After giving up on waiting, I had to make numerous phone calls just to reach reception. When I finally obtained an appointment and was seen, there was minimal engagement with my concerns. Instead, tests that had been recently completed by my previous practice were reordered, despite the records and results being available digitally during the appointment and my offer to transfer them to the practice. The clinician indicated this was simpler for their system. This wasted a valuable appointment slot, which itself required a lengthy wait. At my subsequent appointment, I waited in the reception area while administrative staff conducted a medical questionnaire with another patient audibly and publicly. When I reached the front of the queue, I was informed I had missed my appointment time and would need to rebook. I have decided to register elsewhere, as I cannot continue with this level of service. The practice appears to be operating at capacity, and whether due to workload, fatigue, or both, they demonstrate limited commitment to supporting their patients.

Impossible to reach anyone by phone

This practice has been extremely frustrating to deal with. I attempted numerous times to reach someone by phone without success, so I eventually visited in person instead. I was then informed that I would need to wait a considerable amount of time before an appointment could be arranged. I have been registered as a patient for nearly a year and have been experiencing an ongoing issue that remains unresolved. Despite my efforts, I have not been able to secure an in-person consultation. The service provided has been deeply disappointing and difficult to describe in positive terms.

Actually listened to my concerns

Couldn't recommend this doctor enough. Genuinely one of the nicest practitioners I've encountered. They actually listen to your concerns and what you have to say, taking the time to understand and assist. Would absolutely recommend them.

Felt genuinely listened to and unhurried

The clinician at this practice has been incredibly helpful to me. They are someone who genuinely listens and provides support without any sense of judgment. I can honestly say they demonstrate exceptional care and take the time needed for each patient without rushing through appointments. An outstanding healthcare professional.

Phone queue took two weeks to reach someone

I would have given zero stars if that were possible. It took me two weeks to reach someone by telephone, and when I finally did speak with someone, I was instructed to call back after another week. I would strongly recommend avoiding this practice.

Impossible to book through constantly busy phone lines

The telephone line is consistently engaged and has remained so for an extended period, making it difficult to secure an appointment. The practice appears to be significantly oversubscribed. When an appointment can eventually be obtained, the standard of care provided is disappointing. The approach to mental health support at this practice seems to lack current understanding and awareness.

Booking system makes getting appointments nearly impossible

The appointment booking system feels extremely frustrating and inefficient. Calling at 8 o'clock is recommended, but you need to be prepared to ring repeatedly between 8 am and 12pm as you will frequently encounter engaged tones and disconnections. After 3 days of attempting to reach the respiratory nurse regarding a respiratory concern, I found the process so difficult that I decided to contact the alternative service instead. The experience has been deeply disappointing.

Phone lines impossible to get through on

The clinical staff at this practice left much to be desired. The overall service quality fell short of expectations. It appears that administrative responses may be prioritised over patient contact attempts.

Failed to see elderly patient with serious symptoms

I had a very negative experience with my recent visits. My elderly relative was not seen on two separate occasions despite presenting with ongoing respiratory symptoms. The condition has since deteriorated significantly and required hospital admission. I feel that given their age, they should have been prioritised for an appointment much sooner.

Accessible despite ongoing building work

The practice is conveniently situated and is currently undergoing refurbishment while remaining fully operational. Some entrances are located at the rear and accessed via a paved pathway, which remains wheelchair accessible, though those using mobility aids should be aware that the ground surface is somewhat uneven in places. The team members are excellent and welcoming.

Reception staff hung up repeatedly on calls

Extremely disappointing experience with the service provided. A promised callback failed to materialise. After making multiple attempts to contact the practice, I experienced an unhelpful interaction with reception staff. I was informed that someone would prepare a report, though I have not previously met with this individual. The overall situation feels unresolved, and I have little confidence that a promised follow-up call from management will actually occur. This has left me feeling let down by the practice. 💔

Booking system doesn't work for shift workers

I work long shifts covering both day and night hours, which makes it difficult to call during standard morning appointment booking times while at work. The practice would benefit from offering appointment access options that accommodate people working irregular schedules. I have also experienced a significant delay with a specialist referral, as I discovered after several months that the referral had not been submitted, and I am now waiting to restart the process. While I have found some clinicians to be kind, compassionate and skilled, I have encountered instances where reception and nursing staff have been less welcoming, which has left me feeling undervalued and as though I am an inconvenience to the practice.

Receptionist gave medical advice instead of doctor

I spoke with someone at the practice who I believed to be a medical professional, but it turned out they were a receptionist without medical training. I was disappointed to find myself discussing my health concerns and treatment options with someone who did not have the appropriate clinical qualifications for this type of conversation.

Changing doctors due to repeated problems

Poor service overall. I've experienced numerous issues with this practice. I'm in the process of switching to a different surgery due to repeated frustrations with how I've been treated here.

Dismissive phone call led to hospital admission

I received no assistance whatsoever during my recent contact with the practice. The healthcare professional who called me back came across as quite dismissive, appearing frustrated with each query I raised. Furthermore, they indicated that nothing was amiss with my health, yet I subsequently required emergency care and was admitted for an extended hospital stay. I have concerns about the quality of clinical assessment I received and feel that additional training may be beneficial for the staff member involved. This experience has significantly undermined my trust in the practice, and I am now seriously considering registering elsewhere.