St Pauls Medical Centre

Online appointment went completely unaddressed

A virtual appointment request went unaddressed. It is disappointing that healthcare provision in this area appears to fall short of expectations.

Reception staff mocked my grief during complaint call

I am writing to add that it has now been over two months since I submitted a formal complaint to this GP surgery and I have received no response regarding the outcome. This is the substance of my complaint — I provide care and support for my elderly relative who has significant vision impairment and has been under the care of an eye specialist since relocating to the area. The specialist has prescribed essential eye drop treatment that must be administered regularly to manage the condition and maintain remaining vision. Despite clear instructions from the consultant, the surgery has repeatedly failed to provide adequate care by not issuing repeat prescriptions for this vital medication, resulting in gaps of up to two weeks without treatment on multiple occasions. This pattern has occurred so frequently that I have lost track of how many times it has happened. As a consequence, my relative has had to return to the eye specialist on numerous occasions experiencing severe pain and vision loss, which appears to be directly linked to the gaps in medication supply from the GP. Most recently, my relative has again been without the prescribed eye drops for two weeks and is now suffering severe pain, discomfort and deteriorating vision. This suffering is entirely preventable. Our family has raised these concerns repeatedly and submitted a formal written complaint that was never acknowledged. Today I attempted to contact the practice manager to lodge another formal complaint. The receptionist who took my call informed me that I would need to submit this by email. Given that I had experienced a significant bereavement the previous day, I explained that I was not in a position to write an email and requested to speak with someone directly. What followed was deeply upsetting. The receptionist, apparently believing the call was on hold, made disparaging remarks about my complaint and made inappropriate comments regarding my bereavement in conversation with other staff members. When she returned to the call, she stated that no one was available to speak with me. I informed her that I had heard her remarks and expressed my distress at her conduct. She apologised for what she had said. However, I find it difficult to move past this incident. When grieving and in distress, no one should experience their loss being treated as a matter for ridicule by someone in a position of care and responsibility. I felt this was deeply insensitive and it has left me upset and shaken. The practice later informed me that calls are recorded. The practice manager reviewed the recording, contacted me to apologise, stating she was deeply sorry about what had occurred, and acknowledged the conduct was unacceptable. The staff member involved has since faced disciplinary measures. This incident is not an isolated occurrence but rather reflects a broader pattern of inadequate care, unsafe practice, and insufficient compassion within the organisation.

Reception staff behaviour left us deeply concerned

I overheard a conversation between my sister and reception staff that I found concerning, involving what appeared to be inappropriate comments about a family member who had recently passed away. I was shocked by this experience and reported the matter to the relevant authorities and raised a safeguarding concern to help protect vulnerable family members. I intend to provide further details in due course. This was a deeply disappointing experience. I have concerns that this type of behaviour may reflect a broader culture within the practice that could be normalised by staff. My sister mentioned that one member of staff may have faced disciplinary action, though I am uncertain about the accuracy of this information. However, I believe there are significant concerns about the conduct and professionalism of the reception team that warrant serious consideration.

Receptionist went the extra mile for me

The clinical team at this practice has made an enormously positive difference to my health and wellbeing. I couldn't speak more highly of the service provided. The reception staff were also exceptionally helpful and professional throughout. I'm very grateful for the care received.

Getting appointments requires early morning phone calls

Getting an initial appointment can be challenging as you need to call at 8am and compete with many others trying to secure a slot. However, the practice does offer an online consultation service which provides a faster alternative if you're willing to wait to see a clinician. Once you've had your first appointment and if you have continuing concerns, the care provided is good and you receive follow-up appointments as needed. Overall, the practice functions similarly to most others.

Struggling to book an appointment here

It has been difficult to obtain an appointment at this practice.

Reception staff made booking straightforward and easy

The reception staff demonstrated a welcoming and supportive approach during my visit.

Friendly staff made me feel at ease

The receptionist and nursing staff I encountered were very welcoming and made me feel at ease during my visit.

Efficient service let down by parking issues

The practice is well organised, though accessing the location can be challenging due to its city centre position and limited parking availability.

Reception team helpful and welcoming throughout

The reception team members are consistently helpful, both in person and over the phone. The doctor provides excellent care and it is unfortunate that they now work reduced hours. The nurse practitioner is also fantastic.

Phone queue waits could be shorter

It's a GP practice that fulfils its intended purpose. Having additional telephone staff would be beneficial, as the previous system of queue position announcements was helpful for managing expectations. Currently, wait times for phone calls can extend to around 45-50 minutes, which feels lengthy compared to before.

Staff listened and made me feel heard

It's a medical practice where you can book an appointment to see a clinician, and the team members are very helpful. The healthcare professionals are attentive and take time to listen to what you have to say.

Couldn't get through on the phone line

Unable to reach the practice by phone this morning after multiple attempts. When I finally got through, I was simply told to call back later. Found this response frustrating and unhelpful.

Staff let me take child to toilet easily

The waiting period was reasonable. I'm able to bring my child to the restroom without encountering any difficulties from the team. The majority of the staff members are courteous and approachable.

Difficult to book appointments through online system

The online consultation system is not effective and booking an appointment proves to be challenging. The overall experience has been disappointing.

Practice repeatedly closed when needed most

Failed to identify a significant health concern during my visit. The practice appears to have limited availability and I found it difficult to contact them through online channels. Their opening hours seem inconsistent with my needs. I have decided to seek care elsewhere. I have serious concerns about the quality of service provided and feel this impacts patient safety.

Struggled to get prescription signed over phone

I contacted the practice on multiple occasions requesting assistance with an online prescription signature. When I asked to speak with the prescription team, the response I received felt dismissive and left me feeling disrespected. When I expressed concern about what would happen if the prescription remained unsigned over the weekend, I was told to contact NHS 111. As someone managing several ongoing health conditions, I found this response inadequate and frustrating. I felt my concerns were not taken seriously, and I worry about how vulnerable patients, particularly older individuals, would fare in similar situations. I believe this experience reflects a broader issue with how patient concerns are handled at this practice.

Struggling to book any appointment with a doctor

I have been attempting to arrange a medication review with a healthcare professional, but I am finding it challenging to access contact information as services appear to have limited availability. Online consultation options are only offered outside standard working hours, and in-person appointments with a doctor seem scarce unless one is fortunate enough to secure an early morning slot. The difficulty in obtaining a consultation feels frustrating. I would appreciate if someone could provide assistance with this matter. Thank you.

Couldn't get through on the phone today

Apart from receiving routine communications from this surgery, I have not needed to contact them for approximately 5 years until recently. When I called with a general question, I was unable to wait for a response as I needed to return to work after about 10 minutes on hold. I have had no direct contact with the practice for an extended period. This practice appears to be managing a large patient population with limited staffing resources, which seems to be creating difficulties in handling patient enquiries promptly.

Friendly reception made booking straightforward

I appreciate the welcoming and approachable nature of the team members I encountered.