Fenham Hall Surgery

Doctors actually call you back when needed

The medical professionals and team members at this practice have consistently demonstrated helpfulness and friendliness. The local community is fortunate to have this facility available. For instance, clinicians have regularly made themselves available to provide guidance when requested. I have maintained my registration with this surgery for 25 years.

Receptionist attitude makes booking appointments difficult

The reception staff can be difficult to deal with, and scheduling an appointment often requires a considerable wait of several weeks or longer. Only a small number of the clinical staff members provide a satisfactory standard of care. I would hope for improvements to the service, but there appears to be little prospect of change occurring.

Staff attitude improved when appointments finally available

I have had one excellent experience at this surgery since becoming a patient several years ago, and that was with a clinician who genuinely engaged with me and made me feel valued and heard. I have had other satisfactory experiences, but regrettably many others have fallen short of expectations. It is deeply frustrating to ring and simply be told there are no available slots, with no further discussion. I contacted the practice several weeks before travelling abroad seeking health advice and was asked to call back the following week due to lack of availability. When I rang back, I was informed there were unfortunately no appointments within my required timeframe. This meant no appointments of any kind were accessible over the following month. I have personally witnessed the serious impact of healthcare system pressures, having lost a close family member to illness several years ago when their condition was not identified until very shortly before their passing. Adding to this disappointment is that some reception staff have been dismissive, leaving me feeling undervalued on a number of occasions. While I recognise that healthcare services and their teams face considerable strain, the current appointment systems do not appear to be functioning effectively. I was quite disappointed overall. ***EDIT*** I have revised my rating upwards following a much more positive experience with this surgery over recent days. The entire team I have interacted with this week has been excellent and provided outstanding care. My appointments ran smoothly with minimal waiting, and one was even punctual. This represents a significant improvement.

Friendly reception made the visit pleasant

Positive

Reception staff weren't welcoming or helpful

The service provided was consistently unwelcoming and lacked the support I needed.

Appointment cancelled due to staff absence

I scheduled an appointment several weeks ahead for travel-related medical preparations, and it was the earliest available slot. I arrived ahead of time, but was informed that the healthcare professional was unavailable and my appointment could not proceed. I was directed to seek the service elsewhere at a private facility, which would have involved significant additional costs. This was very frustrating and felt like a poor use of my time.

Long waits and unhelpful phone access frustrate patients

Appointment availability is significantly limited, with waits extending beyond two weeks, making it difficult to access timely care. Reaching the practice by telephone proves extremely challenging. The absence of online booking options adds to accessibility issues. Clinical consultations feel rushed and inattentive, with minimal engagement during appointments. The check-in process relies on an impersonal computer system, followed by confusion about locating the correct consultation room. Overall experience is disappointing and not recommended. In addition to previous feedback, reception staff interactions have been notably unhelpful and unwelcoming. Non-clinical staff members appear to be making clinical decisions through a triage process, despite lacking medical qualifications, which determines appointment scheduling. When describing a situation as urgent, a callback appointment was offered within several days, whereas routine requests faced much longer delays. On multiple occasions, an important administrative request for workplace documentation was not communicated to the clinical team, resulting in an unresolved matter.

Staff were helpful and easy to reach

Exceptional service provided by the entire team. The care and attention received was excellent and exactly what was needed.

Seen on time with helpful reception staff

Excellent service - seen on time, staff member most helpful and professional. Good online prescription system. Pleased to be a patient here.

Phone lines too busy to reach during emergencies

I have found the service at this practice to be disappointing. The reception team has been difficult to work with, with some staff members coming across as unhelpful and dismissive. I have been told repeatedly that I need to call earlier in the day to secure an appointment, with availability often only extending several weeks ahead. The telephone lines are frequently congested during opening hours, making it challenging to reach the practice, particularly in urgent situations. There is no queuing system for calls, and callers are simply advised to ring back at a later time. I have experienced interactions where reception staff have questioned the nature of my health concerns and suggested alternative services might be more appropriate. This has not been an isolated incident. My experience with clinical staff has also been largely unsatisfactory, and I have decided to transfer to another practice. I have been a patient here for over a decade and was previously content with the service. However, the current system requiring patients to describe their symptoms to reception staff before clinical assessment has created frustration. The priority ranking appears to depend on how comprehensively symptoms are communicated at the reception stage, which feels counterintuitive and has resulted in me not being seen on the day I have called. I have also found the practice management unhelpful in addressing these concerns. On a positive note, one member of the reception team has consistently been courteous and genuinely helpful both over the telephone and in person.

Hard to book appointments and staff lack discretion

Unfortunately, aside from one or two members of the administrative team, the practice has significant shortcomings. Obtaining appointments proves challenging, and I have found the staff approach to be dismissive at times. While I recognise the practice is busy, there are occasions when staff inquire into sensitive health matters, sometimes audibly within the waiting area where others can hear. The nursing staff member is personable, though there have been instances where health concerns were not identified. The clinical staff vary in quality, and I have experienced reluctance when requesting referral documentation to external healthcare providers. The visiting health professionals at the practice have been particularly disappointing, and there were concerns about the performance standards of one individual, which is troubling given the involvement with children's care. We have since transferred to another practice due to our dissatisfaction with the service provided, and I would encourage others to consider alternative options.

Phone lines constantly engaged and unreachable

I would prefer a zero star rating if possible. The telephone lines are consistently unavailable, with no one answering calls or the line being perpetually busy.