Cherry Hinton Medical Centre

waited six days for a callback

I would rate this lower than zero if possible. After 40 years of loyalty to Brookfields and Cherry Hinton, I'm devastated. Still waiting for a callback on day 6 about an 11 year old. Three weeks in and still no available appointments for a pregnant woman at 6 months. My mother had to call 111 to get seen at Addenbrookes, where they discovered a severe chest infection (she'd had mild pneumonia previously) and criticized her for delaying treatment. Following their assessment, she was advised to switch surgeries because Fishers Lane is now considered the worst practice around. It's unfortunate, but honestly, they might as well demolish both facilities and construct apartment buildings instead. At least those would serve a purpose.

Pharmacy takes 10 days to renew prescriptions

Absolutely terrible service. Prescription renewals take 10+ days minimum after submission, and reaching an actual person by phone is nearly impossible (and if you do manage it, you'll first endure a speech about not tolerating mistreatment). They originally claimed 48-hour turnaround, then switched to 5 days, yet the actual wait is consistently 10 days or longer—and you'll need to call repeatedly and visit in person just to get your renewal processed. It's baffling how complicated they make this, especially since the NHS app allows them to simply click approve with minimal effort... but don't expect your medication to arrive promptly from them. Dreadfully awful.

reception staff wouldn't listen about my cough

The surgical procedure was handled incompetently! The front desk staff were impolite and dismissive - they show no interest in listening and constantly rush to hang up. Today we were refused an appointment despite describing our week-long cold and worsening cough. They claimed it wasn't pressing and simply recommended returning to the pharmacist. It's distressing to have to phone and deal with the reception staff - I've never encountered such discourteous and disrespectful individuals before.

Got skipped in queue 3 at 8am

I contacted the surgical department on March 4th at precisely 8:00 AM through the front desk. My wait lasted approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. I was third in line when my queue number suddenly disappeared, which was extremely frustrating.

can't get an appointment since January

Awful doctor's office. Their quality has significantly declined over the past year. I've been unable to book an appointment since mid-January.

Staff remembered my name every visit

I've consistently received courteous and respectful service. Everything has been satisfactory. I appreciate the effort you've all put in.

Staff kept telling me to call 111

Awful visit, whenever I visit (for my kids) the staff seems unable to assist me, there are no available slots, they offer no other options... they constantly direct me to call 111 and then refuse to take any further responsibility.

called at 7:59am and got turned away

I phoned the surgery on February 20th at exactly 7:59 AM to speak with the receptionist. I had to wait approximately 35-40 minutes. When a woman finally picked up, she informed me that "there are no available appointments today, please ring back tomorrow at 8am." This made me quite frustrated. I tried again on February 21st at precisely 8:01 AM, and after waiting 20 minutes, the response was "no slots available today, please contact 111 instead."

Freezing waiting room and locked doors at lunch

This practice has consistently lacked proper organization, and things have deteriorated significantly since the Cambs GP network took over—they appear to prioritize money over competence. Their staff photographs on the website say everything. The waiting area is uncomfortably cold and unpleasant. Reception staff lock the doors during lunch regardless of weather, frequently taking their time reopening them, seemingly indifferent to rain or frost outside. The receptionists are unfriendly and dismissive. It's an awful facility. Feels chaotic and bizarre. I'd recommend finding a different practice.

new management made the phones worse

This place is a complete disaster, and it's gotten even worse since the new management arrived. They constantly bungle repeat prescriptions despite receiving them via email. Nobody picks up the phone, and calls frequently drop after you've waited 2 hours just to reach position 2 in the queue—time you'll never get back. They disregard complaints entirely, and the reception team are among the most rude, condescending, and disrespectful people I've ever been forced to interact with while trying to keep my 83-year-old grandmother alive. She believes the surgery deliberately messes up her medications and refuses to make home visits, even though she's unable to leave the house, simply because they can't be troubled with her and are essentially waiting for her to pass away. It's heartbreaking hearing her express that.

Dr Bogal made me feel instantly reassured

I had an excellent and compassionate appointment with Dr Bogal, whose thoughtful and professional approach immediately put me at ease. His empathetic manner and reassuring demeanor truly helped me feel better and more confident. I'm very grateful for the care he provided. The front desk staff were equally kind and considerate. S Jugessur

can't get through on the phones anymore

Updated January 2024: The phone lines are now completely inaccessible. You only hear an automated message stating you're queued and will be connected to the phone system momentarily. There's no way to know your position in the queue. This is 2024—they need to fix this immediately. Updated Review, October 2023: I'm struggling to find anything positive to say about this GP surgery except this: avoid registering there as a patient. I'm fully aware of the enormous pressures facing the NHS and the reality that GP availability and appointment slots are severely limited. That said, the biggest problem with this practice is its front desk and administrative staff, who demonstrate virtually no customer service skills toward their patients. When you ring the surgery, you're subjected to 3 minutes of recorded announcements discouraging you from calling, followed by lectures about disrespect and abuse you never displayed. The disrespect here is one-sided, and it's definitely not coming from patients. From my experience, you then sit on hold for potentially 45 minutes waiting to speak to an actual person, who probably won't be able to assist you anyway. If you adhere to the numerous highlighted instructions on their website and submit an appointment request form, you'll likely still need to phone them because they can't execute the procedures they themselves established. It's simply not worth the hassle, and what's most infuriating is their constant blame of NHS funding cuts when the real issue is blatant disrespect toward patients and shocking lack of consideration. The practice has control over hiring and staff training, yet it repeatedly makes poor choices in these areas. The management ought to hold themselves to higher standards and feel embarrassed. Their apparent indifference to these reviews shows they don't care about the people they're meant to serve.

Stuck on hold for 50 minutes, still nothing

The front desk staff was incredibly impolite. I waited on hold for nearly an hour when I called, and when I arrived in person, I was still waiting with nobody actually helping me.

Couldn't get an appointment, staff was rude

This surgical experience was absolutely terrible. Getting an appointment proved to be extremely difficult. The team members were disrespectful and condescending!!! I would give zero stars if the system permitted it, but one star is the lowest option available.

waited over an hour at 8am call

I would rate this place lower than zero stars if possible. Whenever you contact this medical practice, you're guaranteed to wait longer than an hour, even during early morning calls. The surgery appears to be on the brink of failure due to chronic understaffing. The front desk staff come across as dismissive and condescending (though I understand they're overwhelmed by constant phone calls). Most of the physicians seem to have abandoned their commitment to quality treatment. My mother was dismissed without proper care and subsequently required emergency hospital admission. If I had the means and resources, I would pursue legal action for negligent and substandard medical practice. I would strongly advise against becoming a patient at this facility. Choose a different provider if you care about your wellbeing. This establishment is genuinely dangerous to your health!

couldn't reach them for an hour

Attempting to reach them by phone can result in waiting an hour or longer before someone answers. Even when they assure you they'll return your call the same day, there's no guarantee they actually will—sometimes they never follow up at all. In the unlikely event they do call back, they typically only try once without any advance notice of when to expect it. To make matters worse, when they finally do reach out, they'll hang up after just a few moments if you don't answer immediately.

Missed prescriptions made me sick for the weekend

Dreadful experience with surgery now! They can't even handle refilling medications promptly, which caused me to become ill due to skipped doses. The place is unattractive and lacks any sense of comfort or peace! Patients are expected to handle everything except the actual medical care! I'm seriously unwell and facing upcoming brain surgery, but I'll steer clear of having it done there given my last visit with a doctor who was so disrespectful and arrogant. Her condescending demeanor, harsh tone, and intimidating stare could easily unsettle patients, but I had to leave the room to prevent myself from getting angry! Additionally, they failed to process my prescription this week, leaving me quite ill, and the pharmacy had to supply me with an emergency supply to get through the weekend! Throughout my 23 years as a patient there, everything was fine until recent years!

Waited forever because they're short-staffed

The clinic appears to be operating with insufficient personnel in both administrative and clinical roles.

reception team handled the rudeness well

5 stars for the reception staff. Both team members demonstrated excellent courtesy and kindness despite having to endure considerable rudeness while I waited for my appointment. However, I was disappointed with my experience seeing the doctor. I didn't feel heard during the consultation. Although I'd completed an online triage questionnaire a fortnight earlier, I still had to repeat all my symptoms to her (though perhaps that's standard procedure). What bothered me most was the lack of clear direction at the end—I wasn't informed about when my blood tests would be scheduled, and when I asked, I was simply told to arrange it at reception. Without being a medical professional or staff member, it's unclear what happens next, so providing patients with better information about the following steps would be beneficial.

Worst GP practice in Cambridgeshire by far

I would rate them lower if possible. Having visited multiple doctors throughout Cambridgeshire over the years, I can say without hesitation that this GP surgery is by far the worst I've encountered. Since becoming a patient, it's been nothing but issues! The setup is completely dysfunctional and utterly appalling. The team members are incredibly impolite and show a complete lack of concern for their patients.