Highwoods Surgery

Kind staff helped us through everything

The medical practice has consistently provided exceptional care for both myself and my loved ones. I am truly grateful for all their support and dedication to our health and well-being.

Morning lottery is a real challenge

The medical staff, doctors, and nurses are top-notch, absolutely deserving a perfect 5-star rating for their incredible work! However, the 8am appointment lottery is a nightmare - be prepared to redial endlessly, potentially 50+ times, with daily slots vanishing within a mere 15-30 minutes. My interactions with receptionists have been hit-or-miss, with approximately half the time experiencing a blend of slight rudeness and disorganization. The administrative processes are chaotic; I've encountered incorrect information that resulted in surgical postponements, and promised follow-up calls never materialized. While the medical professionals earn a stellar 5-star rating, the administrative and reception departments barely scrape a 2-star performance.

Endless calls and no doctor for my baby

How many attempts does it take to reach the medical staff? My infant requires urgent care, yet it takes over a hundred phone calls with no guarantee of connecting. When will this supposed improved system actually be implemented? Shaking my head in frustration. Extremely disheartening... I'm still struggling to make contact. I've been informed that no appointments are currently available.

Impossible to get a doctor's appointment

Getting an appointment here is virtually impossible. They have an 8am scheduling free-for-all where slots vanish in just half an hour. If you're dealing with serious health issues like cancer or struggling with suicidal thoughts, you'll likely be in dire straits before receiving any medical attention. While the surgical care itself was competent, the current staffing is so thin it seems like they're deliberately undermining the practice, possibly aiming for closure. My advice: steer clear of this healthcare provider.

Waited weeks for simple x-ray results

Went to the hospital for radiographic imaging. The staff informed me I'd need to wait seven days to receive my diagnostic results. Upon reaching out to the medical practice, I was advised that a return call would be made in approximately three weeks' time.

Caring staff, but unhelpful front desk

The medical professionals—doctors and nurses—are truly outstanding. However, the front desk staff come across as discourteous and overstepping their boundaries by inquiring about patient symptoms. Many individuals already struggle with discussing sensitive health concerns with their primary care physician, and being interrogated by a receptionist only compounds that discomfort.

Calling at 8am works for me

Negative reviews tend to dominate online platforms, but I must counter that with my personal experience. I've been a patient at this practice for approximately 25 years without any significant issues. I initially saw Dr Kumar and now prefer Dr Ridha, with nurse Debbie being particularly pleasant. Admittedly, securing an appointment requires calling at 8am and potentially spending 20 minutes repeatedly dialing, but this reflects their busy nature. Once connected, same-day appointments are typically achievable. Since Covid, doctors conduct initial phone consultations to determine appointment necessity, and in my experience, they consistently call back and accommodate patients within a day or two. Regarding the reception staff, while their job undoubtedly presents challenges, I've found that maintaining a courteous approach ensures reciprocal politeness. I'm relieved this surgery hasn't adopted the problematic "hub" system seen in places like Clacton, where patients struggle to even communicate with staff, let alone schedule medical consultations. Highwoods, continue your current approach - your practice is performing admirably.

Receptionists need major improvement in communication

The medical professionals have been exceptional and supportive, but the front desk personnel present significant communication challenges. Their phone lines and staffing are inadequate to handle their patient volume, and when you reach out explaining you've spent an hour attempting to schedule an urgent appointment (as recommended by your physician), their response is a dismissive "sorry, we're busy, try again tomorrow". This falls far short of the service standard expected from a publicly funded healthcare system and is unacceptable for patient care. I understand they are overwhelmed, but meaningful changes must be implemented to modernize their approach and ensure patients aren't left without critical medical access for weeks. It's imperative they upgrade their systems and provide the comprehensive support patients desperately require.

Friendly nurses save the day

Medical professionals genuinely aim to provide good care, and the nursing staff is beyond reproach. However, the front desk personnel can be somewhat inconsistent in their approach and service.

Rude receptionists ruined my whole visit

Completely unsatisfactory. The front desk staff are incredibly discourteous, displaying an arrogant attitude as if they're superior to all patients. While the medical professionals seem competent when you manage to interact with them, the overall experience is deeply frustrating. I strongly advise against choosing this facility for any surgical procedure, and I'm actively planning my departure at the earliest opportunity.

Frustrating wait for critical vaccine dose

As a bat care volunteer, I desperately needed a rabies vaccine. The process was incredibly frustrating - I had to make multiple calls since the nurse was never available, which was challenging given my full-time work schedule. When I finally managed to call during the nurse's sole available hour, I discovered she was on holiday and was told not to contact them for another week. Consequently, I was forced to seek out a private travel clinic to receive the vaccine, as it requires a specific 3-dose schedule, and Highwoods Surgery's delayed response would have been too late. They even suggested I pay for a vaccine that should be free for volunteers. Fortunately, I'm not a frequent medical patient and have the resources to seek alternative care. The appointment booking system is equally problematic. The only way to schedule is by phone at 8:00, but the line is perpetually jammed. To make matters worse, the online booking option in the NHS app is completely disabled.

Endless calls at 8am, no appointments

I am completely exasperated with the Highwoods medical practice in Colchester. Their lack of compassion is astounding, regardless of how critical your health concerns are. They simply instruct patients to call at 8 am in a dismissive manner, while their phone lines are perpetually busy as everyone attempts the same thing - an absurdly inefficient system. Multiple times, I've dialed continuously for over an hour, only to be told no appointments are available, irrespective of the urgency of my medical situation. This pattern has persisted for years, and I've finally reached my breaking point. I've even resorted to recording my phone conversations because staff members have attempted to falsely accuse me of being aggressive. I'll admit I raised my voice once when a staff member became unnecessarily hostile towards me. Now I record calls to demonstrate both my composure and their problematic attitudes. Their approach is like a ruthless auction where patients compete for limited appointments, with no consideration for serious symptoms. They should prioritize critical health issues instead of displaying such indifference. Since March 2020, I've been battling significant health challenges and sleep disruptions, making their 8 am call requirement impossible, given my irregular sleep schedule. If nothing changes, I'm prepared to involve local media, armed with my recordings. Their staff's complete lack of empathy and understanding is unacceptable. Anyone experiencing similar treatment should document their interactions. These healthcare professionals seem more interested in bureaucratic processes than patient welfare. Their dismissive attitude makes patients feel hopeless and abandoned. They discourage self-research while simultaneously making professional medical consultation nearly impossible. I've been forced to seek emergency hospital treatment multiple times due to their appointment system's dysfunction. This is not just inconvenient - it's potentially dangerous and completely unacceptable healthcare practice.

Prescription nightmare at local surgery

For the past four months, I've been continuously pursuing my online prescription orders that never get processed and sent to Tesco's. Given my demanding work schedule and significant mental health challenges, these medications are crucial for maintaining my stability. The receptionist flatly refused to even check her computer to confirm the prescription status. Despite my urgent explanation about having no medication and working late, she was unwilling to verify whether my prescription was at the pharmacy, which would have left me without medication for the entire weekend. She then lectured me about not calling to chase prescriptions, seemingly oblivious that I wouldn't need to call if they completed the orders properly. I'm consistently missing medication doses due to their persistent delays, even when I've submitted my online order 4 to 7 days in advance. I desperately want to switch to a more dependable healthcare service, but my geographical location leaves me trapped with this incompetent practice that consistently fails to meet my essential healthcare needs.

Clean clinic near my home

The medical facility's location is ideal for me, and the surgical area consistently maintains excellent hygiene standards. The front desk staff appear overwhelmed and could benefit from enhancing their interpersonal skills. While pleasant in direct interactions, their phone communication leaves considerable room for improvement. Securing an appointment has consistently been a challenging endeavor.

Frustrating care with unhelpful doctors

Scheduling an appointment here is a nightmare...the physicians have repeatedly misdiagnosed my children despite my accurate suggestions, dismissing my concerns and telling me to stop researching symptoms online, then simply prescribing paracetamol. Getting a referral requires constant pressure, and they only issue one when they feel they absolutely cannot avoid it. The sole competent medical professional in this practice is Dr. Ridha.

Caring doctors who truly listen

During my interactions with this medical practice, I've found it to be exceptional. The care I've received has been truly outstanding. It would be impossible to imagine a more superior level of service. My sincere appreciation goes out to all the staff members involved. 😊

Frustrating phone booking at 8 am

Scheduling a slot is nearly impossible, forcing everyone to frantically call precisely at 8 am. Not everyone has the flexibility to drop everything for this outdated booking method. It's ridiculous in this day and age - surely an online reservation system isn't too much to ask? The current process completely fails to accommodate people with work commitments.

Frustrating wait times ruin everything

Scheduling a visit at this place is incredibly frustrating. Their booking process desperately needs an overhaul!

Dr kumar's practice isn't what it used to be

I've been under Dr Kumar's care for a quarter-century, and he's been an exceptional family physician. Regrettably, the practice's quality has sharply dropped in recent times. I've been diligently calling at 8am every morning for days, yet securing an appointment has been impossible. I eventually obtained a telephone consultation, but the doctor called more than an hour past the scheduled time. The service is unacceptable, and it's heartbreaking to witness this once-excellent practice fall to such a subpar level. Giving one star feels overly kind!

191 calls for a simple booking

I'm awarding just 1 star because booking an appointment is practically impossible, requiring 191 attempts this morning just to connect. The receptionist was so irritated that she snapped at me, saying verbatim: "You don't need to tell me about 191 calls, we're extremely busy." To make matters worse, when I explained this was an emergency, I was dismissively told to go to the hospital. After persistent pleading, I was only promised a GP callback after 12 midday, who eventually rang at 18:06 this evening - and naturally, we missed the call. I have absolutely no complaints about the actual doctors - Dr Kumar is incredibly professional and knowledgeable - but their booking system is undoubtedly the worst in the UK and could be easily improved by modifying their appointment scheduling approach. Additionally, they desperately need to train their reception staff to be compassionate and courteous to callers. We're not booking a restaurant table; we're reaching out because we're suffering and unwell!