East Park Practice

Impossible to book appointments when needed

The appointment availability at this practice remains extremely difficult to access, and the service quality across all clinical staff has been disappointing overall.

Reception staff showed little empathy or willingness to help

Contacting this practice for an appointment feels unnecessarily difficult and time-consuming. You would likely receive a faster and more helpful response through alternative means. The reception staff demonstrated a lack of empathy and appeared unwilling to assist. Appointment availability is extremely limited and difficult to obtain. I also observed concerning communication approaches with patients for whom English is not a first language, which came across as patronising rather than supportive. Regarding the clinical team, I experienced significant issues with care coordination. A referral marked as urgent was not processed as expected, resulting in a substantial delay before the matter was addressed. When I raised concerns about the communication gap during this period, I felt my feedback was not taken seriously. Additionally, I found that certain health concerns were minimised or not given adequate consideration. There was minimal contact or updates provided throughout this process, which left me feeling unsupported. The overall experience fell significantly short of acceptable standards. I would not recommend this practice.

Couldn't get through on the phone line

The service fell short of expectations and I believe the practice warrants further scrutiny.

Reception queue lacked privacy and organization

I attended the practice on the second floor for an appointment. I have been managing a long-term health condition whilst awaiting a specialist appointment, and additional health concerns have emerged. I made several attempts to book an appointment over consecutive days before attending in person one morning. The waiting area was extremely crowded with poor organization, and the layout meant patients were required to discuss their health matters within earshot of others, which I found distressing. When I was eventually seen around midday, I felt the consultation was dismissive of my concerns. The clinician suggested my visit was unnecessary given my pending specialist referrals, despite my presenting with a separate issue unrelated to my ongoing condition, which I have been dealing with for several years without yet receiving a diagnosis. I was disappointed by what I perceived as a lack of professionalism and compassion during the appointment.

Long phone queue but still no appointments available

Managed to get through on the phone and was third in the queue. Was answered at around twenty past eight. Unfortunately there were no appointments available. It seems there were approximately twenty people ahead waiting for appointments when the practice opened. I find it consistently difficult to secure an appointment at the surgery, even when calling early in the queue. Was advised to contact the out-of-hours service or attend a nearby urgent care centre instead. I had understood that urgent care centres were meant to relieve pressure on accident and emergency departments rather than redirect patients away from general practice.

Long phone wait, unhelpful appointment advice

I spent over an hour waiting on the phone attempting to book an appointment for my child, only to be advised to visit a walk-in centre instead.

Long phone waits leave me frustrated

I have been a patient at this practice for over 8 years. Whenever I attempt to book an appointment by telephone, I experience lengthy waiting times on hold that often exceed an hour, after which the call disconnects without resolution.

Phone queues make appointments impossible

Difficulty reaching the practice by phone. The surgery operates from two separate locations, which presents challenges for those without transport. After waiting considerably in the queue, I was informed that no appointments were available and was directed to seek care elsewhere. On the occasions when I have managed to secure an appointment, the waiting rooms have appeared largely unoccupied. Overall, I am considering changing to a different practice as my experience has not been satisfactory.

Long phone wait, unhelpful appointment advice

Attempting to book an appointment by phone results in lengthy waiting times before being directed to alternative care facilities instead.

Impossible to get through on the phone

It is difficult to reach the practice by telephone as the lines appear to be constantly engaged. Multiple contact numbers were attempted without success.

Promised callback that never came

Attempted to book an appointment with a doctor for the first time in quite a while. However, I was informed that due to staffing constraints, there were no available slots and that I would receive a call when a doctor became available. Unfortunately, I never received that call. I'm disappointed with this experience 😒

Turned away without being seen at appointment

Disappointing experience, as the practice appears unwilling to provide appointments despite being open.

Practice left me feeling frustrated and unheard

I found this practice to be quite disappointing overall.

Couldn't get through on the phone line

I experienced significant difficulty accessing appointment availability, requiring extended waiting periods across multiple days without successfully securing a booking.

Difficult location and repeat prescription delays

Since relocating to the new premises, I have found the location less convenient to access when unwell. I have attempted to request a repeat prescription on multiple occasions over the past few weeks without success. Due to these difficulties, I have decided to register with a different practice.

Couldn't get through on the phone for urgent care

The practice was difficult to reach by telephone during morning hours when attempting to book an appointment. Once contact was eventually established, I was offered an appointment several weeks away rather than being seen promptly. Following a further extended wait, my request to be seen was declined again.

Phone lines struggling since the move

I've found the staff to be quite good overall, however I'm disappointed by the difficulty in reaching the practice by telephone since the relocation. Previously this wasn't a problem, but now I'm experiencing lengthy wait times of around 45 minutes to an hour before speaking to anyone. Due to this change in accessibility, I'm considering taking my family's care elsewhere.

Phone lines impossible to reach after move

Update..still unable to reach anyone after another week has passed, I've exhausted my medication supply and needed to obtain an emergency prescription via NHS 111... Since relocating, the practice has been consistently difficult to contact by telephone, with calls going unanswered even during designated office hours...I've been attempting to get through to the office for over a week now 🤦🏻‍♀️ it's proving incredibly frustrating

Phone queue made repeat prescription impossible

Attempted to contact the practice to request a repeat prescription, but after calling repeatedly from mid-afternoon onwards, was unable to reach anyone. The calls went unanswered throughout this period, resulting in a child being without necessary medication. Considering escalating the matter to the consultant in hopes of receiving a response.

Phone queues make appointments difficult to book

I have found the staff to be helpful, however contacting the practice by telephone has proven quite challenging. On two separate occasions this week, I experienced lengthy waiting times of approximately 45 minutes to an hour whilst on hold. Additionally, since the practice relocated from its previous location to the town centre, I have found the accessibility to be somewhat inconvenient.