Cestria Health Centre

Phone lines consistently unavailable at opening time

Attempting to reach the surgery by telephone during morning hours proves extremely difficult. Although the practice indicates opening at 8am, calls made at that time still encounter a closed message until well after 8:30am. The NHS app does not appear to offer an e-consultation option for this practice, stating the service is unavailable. This creates a significant barrier for patients seeking to access care when they cannot establish contact with the surgery through standard channels.

Staff were prompt and genuinely helpful

Excellent team and comprehensive support throughout. Consistently responsive and accommodating. Much appreciated.

Pharmacy delays left me without needed medication

Pharmacy service was disappointing. I submitted a prescription at the surgery and was informed it would be prepared within two days, which seemed reasonable. However, when I went to collect it at the pharmacy, I was told it wouldn't be available until the following week. This meant I was once again without the medication I required. I was not satisfied with this experience.

Phone queues don't bother me here

This is one of the finest medical practices I have attended as a patient. The surgery operates at high capacity and naturally there can be waiting times when calling in, though this appears consistent with other practices. The clinical team demonstrates a proactive approach and my concerns have been effectively addressed either during visits or through appropriate referrals and guidance. I have also experienced remote consultations which have proven satisfactory and similarly resulted in my matters being resolved. I am grateful for the care received.

Rushed referral without listening properly

Called in during the week and was offered a referral for mental health support, but explained that the issue is physical rather than mental. Still experiencing pain and dizziness, and awaiting test results which have not yet come through.

Practice didn't listen to my concerns properly

I've only been with the practice for a few months and I'm already having to move. When I first registered, I was informed that my medical records from my previous GP hadn't been transferred over. While I recognise this wasn't the practice's responsibility, I've tried to work collaboratively with them by discussing my various health concerns, both physical and mental, which has been quite challenging. Initially, the service was adequate, and they arranged a couple of referrals for me. However, those referrals didn't progress as hoped, and I understand the NHS is under considerable pressure with limited resources. The situation became frustrating following a recent referral where I needed to restart medication and required blood tests beforehand to ensure it was safe to do so. During my appointment, there was a misunderstanding about the purpose of the tests, which I attempted to clarify but wasn't able to resolve. After the tests were completed, I was given reassurance that no further contact would be needed, but this was three weeks ago. Since then, I've attempted to reach the practice through multiple channels including phone calls and online consultations, but haven't received a response. I feel my concerns haven't been adequately addressed, and this has negatively impacted my wellbeing. I recognise the NHS faces significant challenges, but patients are struggling too. On another note, the same-day appointment system is problematic. The phone lines become overwhelmed, and by the time you manage to get through, available appointments have already been allocated.

Phone lines need urgent improvement

Contacting the practice by telephone has proven to be extremely challenging. On one occasion, I waited in a queue for an extended period without successfully reaching anyone, and on another day experienced a similarly lengthy wait that also did not result in a connection. It appears I will need to visit in person instead. The staff and clinicians are helpful and professional once an appointment is secured, however the difficulty in making initial contact by phone significantly impacts the overall experience and is a matter that requires urgent attention.

Quick callback made the difference

Excellent practice, and I think people sometimes overlook the challenges facing the health service today! I was previously registered with this surgery many years ago before relocating, and they provided great care at that time. I've recently returned to the practice after moving back to the area. I called in the late morning and received a callback from a clinician later that afternoon. The consultation was excellent and I was very impressed with the standard of care provided :)

Struggling to book appointments with preferred doctor

I have been a patient at this surgery for many years and find it frustrating that I cannot secure appointments with my preferred clinician. The booking system does not allow me to arrange phone consultations with the doctor I would like to see either. I feel the reception team creates barriers to accessing appointments rather than facilitating them. Overall, I am dissatisfied with how the practice operates.

Long phone wait but appointment came through

I recently needed to arrange an appointment to see a healthcare professional. My experience was quite mixed! I waited on the phone for a considerable time before I could speak to someone. Once I got through to reception, I explained what was troubling me. After they consulted with a clinician and a trainee, I was offered an appointment within a reasonable timeframe. I was really pleased with how quickly I could be seen and the responsiveness of the team – this aspect deserves high praise. However, the lengthy phone wait was frustrating and detracted from an otherwise positive experience. Taking everything into account, my overall rating reflects both the excellent appointment availability and the disappointing wait time to reach the practice initially.

Long phone queues make appointments difficult

This surgery appears to be among the more challenging practices to access, as calling typically results in lengthy wait times in the queue. The phone system directs callers through various options including appointment booking, but after waiting considerably, callers are often advised to ring on the morning of their preferred appointment date, with the suggestion that a telephone consultation may be offered instead. It seems frustrating that in-person appointments are difficult to arrange. There appears to be a disconnect between patient expectations and appointment availability, making it challenging to secure a face-to-face visit or book an appointment for the following week.

Impossible to book an appointment here

Attempting to secure an appointment has proven to be quite challenging, as this morning I found myself significantly far back in the queue. The practice appears to be stretched thin with patient numbers relative to available clinical staff, and I felt the reception team could have been more courteous in their interactions.

Phone lines impossible to reach, forms go missing

A form containing personal information for myself and my family member went missing, and the response was dismissive with a simple request to fill out another one. Telephone access is extremely difficult, and since my family member is disabled and requires medication, I have no choice but to visit in person to place orders. It takes an hour and a half to get through, despite there being no apparent phone activity within the surgery. A hospital referral for equipment modifications was never followed up on. Appointment availability is very limited. Since registering, there have been ongoing issues with medication management for my family member's essential needs. I have asked multiple times for clarification on what has been dispensed but have not received clear answers, and the prescriptions themselves contain incorrect renewal dates.

Phone lines left us waiting far too long

I experienced a lengthy wait of approximately 50 minutes while attempting to obtain a necessary medication that the practice had not set up for automatic renewal. Eventually, a family member drove me to the surgery location while I remained on the phone. Upon arrival, I found myself seventh in the queue, yet the phone lines appeared inactive. I continued holding the call even after reaching the surgery in person, but my call went unanswered. I felt that incoming calls were not being adequately managed during this time. Overall, I was disappointed with the service experience at the practice.

Helpful pharmacy staff made the difference

The pharmacy team here is excellent and provides great service.

Phone queue system needs serious improvement

Honestly the clinical staff are great but attempting to reach them by phone is really frustrating as calls keep getting disconnected after waiting around 20 minutes and this just happened again where I was on hold and positioned third in the queue for about 10 minutes continuously

Poor communication and months of delays

Disappointing experience overall. I had an implant inserted and after some time decided I wanted it removed to pursue family planning. I missed my first appointment due to the lengthy waiting period and my own oversight, so I rebooked. At the hospital appointment, staff were unable to locate the implant and it was confirmed that it had been positioned too deeply during insertion. I was referred back to my GP practice, where staff checked records to determine which arm it was in, but this information hadn't been documented and I couldn't recall myself. I was then referred for an ultrasound scan, which took approximately two months to arrange. I returned to my GP to ask about next steps, as no one had explained the process to me. I was told I would receive a call back, but this didn't happen, so I made another appointment. At this visit, I was informed the removal would need to happen at the hospital and was marked as urgent, which gave me some reassurance. The hospital subsequently scheduled an appointment, but when I called to confirm details, I learned it had been cancelled without explanation. I was told to contact my GP to find out why. When I did, I was informed it wasn't considered life-threatening, which confused me given the earlier urgent classification. From August through December, the process dragged on, and I was eventually told removal could happen in January, making it six months overall. Communication between departments has been poor, with information not being passed along consistently. I plan to change practices once this is resolved and would advise others to seek implant services elsewhere. This is my third implant and the only one where I've experienced significant problems. The prolonged situation has affected my wellbeing considerably and put my life plans on hold. I've since made additional appointments at another clinic earlier than my scheduled removal, hoping they might be able to help sooner. During a phone call with reception regarding my scan appointment, I found the staff member's tone unhelpful and dismissive. When I asked for clarification about a location I wasn't familiar with, the staff member repeated the information without patience or clarity until finally explaining it was a hospital. Having only recently moved to the area, I wasn't aware of the reference. There are other aspects to this experience I've forgotten over the months.

Reception staff seemed unwilling to help

I really am not sure where to begin with this experience. I would strongly advise against attending if you are concerned about the quality of your care. To put it plainly, the entire team seems to need replacing with staff who demonstrate genuine commitment to patient wellbeing. The service feels like a complete farce. It appears the practice has become too comfortable with pandemic-era procedures and is struggling to transition back to normal operations. Honestly, the practice might as well shut down.

Phone line issues made getting help difficult

The prescription request telephone service appears to be unavailable, and the reception staff were unable to provide assistance with this matter.

Receptionist dismissed urgent mental health crisis call

Called the emergency line because a family member was in crisis and I urgently needed an appointment. The receptionist told me they needed to end the call as it was tying up the emergency line. Thank you for the compassionate response.