Grovelands Medical Centre

Terrible booking system ruins customer experience

Terrible process for scheduling appointments; this system desperately needs improvement.

Terrible customer service that left me frustrated

The front desk personnel display an unacceptable level of discourtesy (varying with the specific staff member, whose name I unfortunately could not identify). She demonstrated a complete unwillingness to listen or comprehend my concerns. I was abruptly interrupted before completing my explanation. Additionally, my attempt to schedule an appointment for my daughter was summarily dismissed after enduring a substantial 20-minute wait. Following the software failure in July, the practice seemingly scheduled appointments without obtaining patient consent, despite my explicit communication about being unavailable in the UK and intending to book upon my return. I am thoroughly dissatisfied with both the service quality and the manner of treatment, which has left a distinctly unpleasant impression. The excuse of being overwhelmingly busy does not justify providing substandard professional service.

Exactly what i needed from this product

Completely meets expectations

Frustrating booking system ruins healthcare experience

The doctors at this practice are excellent, but their appointment scheduling is abysmal. As an educator, I'm limited to booking during school breaks, and each time I've called this year, my regular physician has been unavailable during the booking window, with the clinic refusing to schedule me with another doctor. Their suggestion was for me to use the walk-in service! Completely unacceptable.

Frustrating gp practice with terrible booking system

Scheduling an appointment is practically impossible, and their booking system is far from neurodivergent-friendly. You're required to call after 9:30am, and they exclusively book exactly two weeks out. They recently changed my GP, leaving me uncertain about who my doctor is, and apparently they only work three days weekly - information supposedly available on their website. I struggle to remember to call, so I set a phone alarm, only to be told the doctor isn't working that day, despite previous calls confirming conflicting information. It's an utterly nonsensical system. I emailed inquiring about alternative booking methods, highlighting the current ableist approach, and was flatly rejected. My smear test was botched twice, resulting in unusable results that necessitated a hospital visit. Additionally, processing my ADHD diagnosis through Psych UK and establishing shared care took months. An 18-month tennis elbow issue went unaddressed - no scans were ordered, and I received two treatments including an injection administered via pure guesswork, unsurprisingly ineffective. Previously, when advance booking was possible, I scheduled an appointment, waited five weeks, had it canceled due to the Queen's funeral with no replacement, and was denied a phone consultation as "not urgent". I ultimately waited another four weeks just to get a referral. When I finally saw a specialist, the tennis elbow resolved within weeks - had this happened a year earlier, I'd have avoided significant inconvenience. My back appointment required a nine-month wait for physiotherapy. The GP sent me for an urgent x-ray, but the hospital refused, claiming confusion about the referral and insisting I needed an MRI, subsequently sending me home. A repeat prescription issue meant the order didn't process for a week, causing severe symptoms. The doctors seem competent, but wait times are excessive. Reception staff can be incredibly discourteous, and appointments consistently run late, even for morning slots. The phone app prevented appointment booking. After being instructed to create a new account and bringing ID to the surgery, I spent two months with slow IT responses. Eventually, a helpful receptionist intervened, bringing the IT person from the back. Despite this, I still cannot book an appointment. I experienced superior service while living in central London, despite presumably greater patient volume.

Worst healthcare experience ever terrible service

I've encountered absolutely abysmal medical service here. The only way to secure a consultation seems to be if you collapse right in their waiting area; otherwise, getting an appointment is completely unattainable.

Terrible booking system ruins great medical practice

I've encountered an absolutely dreadful scheduling process that completely undermines the quality of the medical staff. The doctors themselves are excellent, but securing an appointment is a nightmarish experience. My aging mother has been reduced to tears by the frustrating phone system. Every single morning at 9:30, when one attempts to book, there are already 15 people in the queue - and this happens daily without fail! It's utterly unacceptable that individuals in their nineties must endure this chaotic and stressful telephone roulette just to access basic healthcare.

Compassionate doctor goes above and beyond care

Exceptional care provided by an incredible physician who examined my almost 7-year-old suffering from a respiratory illness. The doctor personally phoned to follow up twice. Truly outstanding. Immense gratitude - deeply appreciated.

Frustrating prescription service with poor communication

I've been attempting to communicate regarding my prescription. My wife previously managed my medication, but she's battling pancreatic cancer and can no longer assist. I received a partial batch of tablets, yet three are unaccounted for. The pharmacist from Grovelands Surgery calls, but if you miss their initial contact, there's no follow-up. I believed regular medication reviews were standard practice, but that doesn't seem to be happening. I'm thoroughly dissatisfied with this situation.

Rude receptionist ruins long-standing patient relationship

My son and I have been patients at this medical practice for years without any previous issues. Whenever I called, there was always an available slot for my son. However, during my recent visit to inquire about maintaining our registration after moving to a new address, the receptionist's response was shockingly hostile, telling me I "NEED TO GET OUT". This treatment was completely unlike any interaction I'd experienced before. As a result, I canceled our upcoming appointment and have now transferred to a different surgery. :)

Friendly staff made my day at this place

Absolutely recommend scheduling ahead of time! Personnel are friendly.

Great medical service with minor scheduling hiccups

Never encountered any problems with this medical practice. Scheduling a follow-up with my primary care physician can be somewhat challenging, but overall, securing same-day appointments has always been straightforward!

Frustrating healthcare system fails patients repeatedly

I've been struggling for weeks to secure an appointment while my condition gradually deteriorates. Every time I call at 9:30 AM or earlier, I'm told all slots are already taken. Just 8 minutes after they supposedly open booking, every single appointment has vanished. The staff simply advise me to try calling again the next day. This booking process is absolutely unacceptable, a complete disservice to patients like myself, and an embarrassment to healthcare professionals. The entire system requires immediate and drastic overhaul.

Overwhelmed clinic fails to meet patient needs

With nearly all physicians on part-time schedules and patients like myself facing significant challenges in securing appointments, I'm astonished that you continue to welcome new patient registrations. It seems incomprehensible that you would expand your patient roster when current patients are already experiencing such difficulty obtaining essential medical care.

Frustrating customer service and endless waiting times

Scheduling an appointment here is a nightmare. I spent a quarter of an hour on hold, and when a representative finally picked up, they claimed there was an issue with my phone connection, essentially dismissing my call. I tried again, only to find myself 19th in line, which likely means a two-hour wait time.

Terrible gp practice with zero patient care

If I could, I'd give zero stars. I've been a patient here my entire life with no problems until recently. For eight consecutive days, I attempted to secure an appointment, each time being assured of one "tomorrow," yet consistently told none were available. For nearly six years, I've been unable to see my regular doctor, who's perpetually unavailable. Consequently, I'm forced to repeatedly explain my medical history to different physicians, which is incredibly frustrating. Many of these doctors seem completely incompetent, and the reception staff are absolutely appalling. Their rudeness is shocking. While we're told to respect NHS staff and acknowledge their efforts, having receptionists behind a glass barrier who dismissively answer questions and force patients to disclose sensitive information in public spaces is completely unacceptable. Either improve your staff's attitude and medical service, or you'll hemorrhage patients due to your total disregard. It's genuinely reprehensible.

Grovelands medical practice fails miserably at basic care

In my view, this medical practice falls significantly short of the standard I've experienced with other NHS facilities. Securing an appointment, obtaining a referral, scheduling a blood test, or even retrieving test results seems virtually unattainable! I've never encountered such a subpar NHS service before. Historically, I've always considered the NHS to be an invaluable resource with exceptional staff and (while not always instantaneously accessible, still) generally responsive. Grovelands Medical utterly fails to meet the NHS's established standards, which is truly disheartening. A thorough investigation is urgently needed to understand the underlying issues, as the current situation appears to be far below acceptable healthcare delivery.

Terrible communication and zero customer service skills

I once held this practice in high regard, but that's no longer the case. They altered the timing of my appointment without mentioning that the entire date had been shifted as well. Not a single apology was offered. This incident follows a long list of previous inconsistencies that I won't even bother detailing. Giving them one star is already more kindness than they deserve!!!!!

Terrible booking system with repeated appointment failures

I've been experiencing repeated frustration with this clinic's appointment booking system. Twice now, we've arrived for my mum's flu jab only to be told no appointment exists, despite having received confirmed text reminders. The first time, after showing the confirmation message, they eventually allowed us to wait. However, when called, they discovered the appointment was for someone with the same name but different birth date. I was careful when booking and know they always verify name and date of birth first. The staff instructed me to book another appointment online, which I did diligently. Three weeks later, my sister took time off work to accompany my mum, only to be turned away again with the same "no appointment" claim. Understandably, I called to understand why this kept happening. While I was patient the first time, being sent away twice was incredibly exasperating. I politely asked if there might be an issue with their system or my mum's details that needed updating. Their response was dismissive - claiming all details were correct and essentially telling me they had no explanation. When I sought answers, I was essentially told to drop the matter. This lack of accountability and poor communication is unacceptable and deeply frustrating. :/

Compassionate nurse made my hospital stay wonderful

Maria, the nurse, is exceptional. Her compassion and tenderness are remarkable. She truly went above and beyond in her care.