Cumberland House Surgery

Impossible to reach by phone for appointments

I am disappointed that the surgery sent me text messages asking me to contact them to arrange an appointment, but I have been unable to reach them. Despite making numerous attempts to call and managing to get through on a couple of occasions, I experienced long waiting times with no answer. I have since stopped trying to make contact.

Phone lines impossible to get through on

The service at this practice has been disappointing. Getting through by telephone to book an appointment is challenging, and when you do manage to see a clinician, the consultation feels rushed. There's a sense that the focus is on processing patients quickly rather than providing attentive care. Following a recent visit, I felt compelled to lodge a formal complaint with the relevant health authority. I've found that seeking veterinary care for my pet has been a more straightforward and satisfactory experience than attending this practice.

Receptionists helped me get quick appointments

Excellent experience on every visit. The welcoming reception team are courteous and supportive, consistently arranging appointments with clinical staff members promptly. All the healthcare professionals I have encountered have been genuinely approachable, attentive and willing to give me their full attention and hear my concerns. I have not experienced significant delays in accessing appointments, typically being seen the same morning after my initial call and receiving the medications I require without difficulty.

Poor communication between staff members

Absolutely diabolical, with hardly any communication between the practice and patients. One staff member says one thing while another says something completely different. There is no point in providing feedback because nothing ever seems to change.

Friendly reception and caring family approach

Outstanding experience with a welcoming reception team and compassionate family healthcare provision.

Reception dismissed concerns without proper referral

This practice was extremely disappointing. I experienced persistent pain in my lower joints and was told this was solely attributable to my weight, leading me to undergo weight loss surgery. When the practice relocated, it proved beneficial for many patients as we were transferred to a new facility. Subsequently, I discovered that my joint pain was actually caused by a serious neurological condition that had gone undiagnosed for years due to a lack of appropriate specialist referrals. While I did have genuine weight concerns that required intervention, the failure to investigate and refer me for proper evaluation meant a significant medical condition was overlooked for an extended period.

Appointment system works well and feels fair

I find it surprising to see such a low rating for this practice. In my view, this surgery stands out significantly among local providers. The approach taken during the pandemic, particularly regarding appointment management, has been exemplary. Prior to the pandemic, many people would book appointments for issues that may not have required a clinical visit. The practice's system during this period has been excellent. The process works as follows: patients ring to request an appointment, explain their concern to reception staff, the issue is then reviewed by the duty clinician who assesses whether an in-person consultation is necessary, the patient is contacted with the outcome, and if a visit is needed, it typically happens the same day. I believe this approach is ideal and would welcome its continuation. Those requiring face-to-face care receive it promptly. Based on these experiences, I would rate all staff members very highly and fully endorse the clinical team. The service has been outstanding.

Phone lines impossible to get through on

It's unfortunate that a lower rating isn't possible for this practice. I made many attempts to reach the surgery by telephone, and after countless tries finally got through, only to wait for 10 minutes while the call went unanswered before I had to give up. I'd rather not discuss my previous experience with a clinician at this practice, but I felt their approach to my care was inadequate, and I subsequently required emergency hospital treatment, where the staff indicated my arrival was timely.

Long phone queues led to wasted journey

I experienced difficulties accessing services at this practice. After spending 40-45 minutes attempting to reach someone by telephone, I was eventually connected with a staff member who suggested I attend a walk-in centre instead of booking an appointment. I was told this centre would be able to help with my concern. However, upon arriving at the walk-in centre, which was approximately half an hour away, I discovered they were unable to assist with my particular health issue. This resulted in a significant amount of wasted time and travel. I felt the initial guidance I received was inaccurate, and I would have benefited from being directed towards alternative services such as NHS 111 or accident and emergency from the outset.

Declining service with phones constantly engaged

The standard of care at this surgery has noticeably declined over the years. When I first became a patient eight years ago, the service was of a high quality. However, there has been a gradual deterioration in standards since then. Issues I have experienced include delayed prescription renewals for urgent requests, a lack of compassion in interactions, difficulty reaching clinicians for follow-up discussions, unhelpful responses from front desk staff, and persistent problems getting through on the surgery telephone line, which is frequently busy or goes unanswered. My husband required a three-week hospital admission after initial assessments failed to identify a urinary tract infection, and he was advised to attend accident and emergency for further evaluation. Following a recent illness, I have been waiting over two weeks for a promised callback from a clinician. Upon recovery, I was informed there was no record of my illness on the system, despite evidence of a prescription issued during that period. These inconsistencies and communication failures represent a significant decline in the professionalism I would expect from this practice.

Helpful receptionist made booking straightforward

Excellent experience ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Referral requests left without any follow-up updates

I requested a referral for specialist gender services. Several months have passed without any response, and I received no confirmation that the referral was processed or any progress updates. When I asked for the matter to be followed up, I heard nothing back. The appointment waiting times are also extremely lengthy, and I find myself questioning what factors might be contributing to these delays. The situation requires prompt attention. Since 2021, the overall experience has not shown significant improvement. It appears one must be in a critical condition to secure an appointment, and the reception staff appear visibly stressed when patients visit in person. Several prescriptions have remained unsigned, necessitating return visits, only to be met with what felt like dismissal for raising the issue. I continue to use this service primarily because alternatives are limited, rather than by preference. I suspect the reception team may be stretched too thin, which appears to reflect broader organisational and management challenges. The clinical staff themselves, however, are genuinely excellent and merit acknowledgement for their work. They are approachable, practical, and genuinely supportive. When referrals are requested, they prioritise getting these arranged promptly. The difficulty lies in reaching that stage in the first place.

Couldn't get through after many calls

I had an extremely frustrating experience with this surgery. It took an enormous number of attempts to reach someone by phone, and when I finally got through, I was directed to an alternative healthcare location for a specific reason that I felt was incorrect, as I had recently attended that same location for a different procedure. When I attended the alternative location, the healthcare professional there indicated that I should have been treated as an urgent case at the original surgery. I have since needed to attend accident and emergency for further care.

Struggling to reach reception for prescriptions

There have been ongoing difficulties with obtaining repeat prescriptions, and accessing the practice by telephone proves challenging. The reception team appears to view each doctor appointment they facilitate as an unwelcome burden rather than part of their role.

Practice nurses were friendly and helpful

I have consistently received excellent care from the nursing team at this practice location. The staff have been welcoming, supportive and provided clear explanations throughout my visits. Much appreciated.

Reception staff made appointments difficult to book

Absolutely awful experience at this practice. The receptionist can be rude and difficult to interact with. You're required to disclose your health concern to reception staff. Callback promises are frequently not honoured. We have been waiting an extended period for our twins' immunisation appointment. The only healthcare professional who is approachable seems to rarely be available. I have previously been given another patient's prescription in error. The service feels disorganised and poorly managed. I am very dissatisfied with my experience and am considering registering my family elsewhere.

Prescription left at chemist without notification

I contacted the practice to request a repeat prescription and was informed that someone would call me once approval had been given so I could collect it from the pharmacy. After three weeks without hearing anything, I decided to follow up and discovered the prescription had been ready at the pharmacy for two weeks, but nobody had notified me. When I called back to discuss this, the staff member I spoke with was dismissive and made me feel as though I was responsible for the oversight. I was very disappointed with the level of service provided.

Difficult to reach by phone for appointments

Extremely difficult to reach by telephone. You may be discouraged from attending in person to book an appointment, yet this appears to be the only effective way to make contact with the practice. Additionally, calls may be disconnected after extended waiting periods, so there is no guarantee of successfully connecting with an automated service. This reflects the typical standard of accessibility offered by the practice, even prior to recent circumstances. Good luck navigating the appointment booking process during the current climate.

Reception staff dismissive during urgent health concern

If I could give zero I would, my young child has experienced multiple diagnostic changes. Initially referred to a specialist hub, then advised of a viral infection, and subsequently told of a respiratory condition, all determined through remote consultation. Eventually we attended an emergency department because our child became unwell during the night and experienced distress upon waking. At the emergency department, we were informed of a serious throat infection that had remained untreated and progressed. Throughout this experience, the reception staff interaction felt dismissive and unhelpful. We have decided to change our healthcare provider and would encourage others to carefully reconsider their choice of practice.

Repeat prescriptions regularly left unsigned and delayed

Disappointing experience, as I don't tend to ask for much. I'm not a demanding patient - I have a repeat prescription that I've been receiving monthly for a couple of years now. I should be able to contact the surgery a few days before my supply runs out and request my next prescription to be authorised and forwarded to the nearby pharmacy, but in the two-year period this has only worked successfully on two or three occasions. Even ordering a week in advance, the prescription frequently remains unsigned at the surgery or sits uncollected in reception. I've had to visit the surgery multiple times to collect it myself and deliver it to the pharmacy in person. On some occasions, I've even needed to wait for an appointment to conclude so the prescription could be signed. This isn't always feasible given the restricted opening hours available. The pharmacy has been understanding and has attempted to help by enrolling me in their automated system to eliminate the need for me to request prescriptions manually, yet this approach hasn't resolved the issue either. After two years of struggling with this straightforward administrative task, I'm concerned about what might happen if I ever require assistance with something more complicated.