Hill Brow Surgery Pms Practice

Long phone queues make appointments difficult

My family was registered at this practice and I found the service disappointing. I spent considerable time on hold trying to book an appointment for my child. It appears the practice may be struggling to manage its patient numbers effectively, which seems to impact the quality of care provided.

Staff repeatedly refused to complete required medical form

My wife and I have been attempting to arrange a fostering medical form through our GP practice, but we have encountered significant difficulties with the staff response. Multiple reliable sources indicate that such medicals should be available through general practice, yet after requesting assistance on three separate occasions—and having confirmed that another individual successfully obtained this service at the same surgery—we continue to be told the practice does not offer this service and cannot assist us. We have subsequently contacted several other GP practices in our area, and all have indicated they are able to provide this service and would not refuse a patient's request for a medical examination. We are currently attempting to resolve this matter through further contact with the surgery. Following a conversation with the practice management, we learned that approximately a year ago the surgery made a decision to cease accepting bookings for these medicals, citing that they are not obligated to provide this service as it falls outside contractual requirements and that the administrative burden is too significant. This reasoning appears inconsistent given that fostering medicals are fee-paying services, with invoices sent to the requesting organisation. If resource constraints were genuinely the concern, the income generated would seemingly offset any additional workload. While I recognise the broader pressures facing the health service and the systemic challenges beyond individual healthcare workers' control, this situation appears to represent an unnecessary obstacle for families seeking to foster and a missed opportunity for the practice to generate additional revenue.

Online booking system constantly unavailable here

Attempting to reach this practice proves frustrating. They encourage online booking, but the system appears unavailable consistently. Telephone contact is equally problematic—calls enter a queue before being placed on extended hold, eventually disconnecting. Visiting in person doesn't resolve matters either, as the phone line remains unresponsive with no ringing tone audible. Getting through to arrange basic appointments or check on routine test results seems nearly impossible. The overall experience suggests considering alternative healthcare providers.

Online booking system keeps redirecting endlessly

Excellent practice, and I am really pleased with all that they do. All the staff work really hard. However, attempting to book a routine appointment through the online system appears to have become problematic. Each time I try, I am redirected to a different system that does not allow me to complete the booking. A text message then directs me back to the online booking system again. I feel caught in a frustrating cycle with no way forward.

Phone lines constantly busy and calls go unanswered

Whenever I contemplate contacting this surgery about anything, I experience considerable anxiety. 1) I have serious doubts about whether their telephone lines are adequately staffed during stated opening hours. Being kept on hold for extended periods exceeding 90 minutes, only to have the call disconnected, is wholly unacceptable. I've attempted to ring during what appear to be quieter periods, such as shortly before closing time, yet the calls go unanswered, suggesting reception staff may have finished for the day. On two separate occasions, after waiting on hold for well over an hour, I've made the journey to the surgery in person to understand what might be causing such apparent congestion, only to find the building essentially vacant both times. This is deeply concerning. 2) My employment circumstances mean I'm unable to carry my mobile phone during certain periods. When anticipating a callback, I provide alternative contact information to reception staff and specifically request communication via text or email instead. These preferences are consistently ignored, and subsequently I'm labelled as unreliable when I cannot answer calls on my mobile. There seems little purpose in providing alternative contact details or communication methods if they are not actually utilised. This represents a significant lack of attention to detail. 3) Many staff members appear to overlook that patients seeking GP consultations, regardless of their issue, are typically already experiencing some degree of distress or discomfort. Reception staff demonstrate minimal compassion or understanding, and on occasions when I've raised concerns about service shortcomings, I've received neither apologies nor attempts at resolution. Whilst I would never support rudeness or hostility toward NHS employees, when a surgery operates in such a patient-unfocused, commercially-oriented and dismissive manner, I can appreciate why frustration might occasionally escalate. 4) The sole reason I remain registered here is that the clinical staff are genuinely excellent. During the rare instances when face-to-face appointments are available, I consistently feel properly heard and unhurried. Their approach is meticulous and thorough, and I maintain confidence in the clinical care provided.

Couldn't reach anyone by phone about medication

This practice appears to have left a patient with a chronic condition without necessary medication due to difficulties reaching someone by telephone.

Kept informed and treated with respect

Excellent care provided to vulnerable older patients. We were consistently updated throughout and had the chance to raise any concerns or queries. The approach was consistently considerate and courteous. Much appreciated.

Couldn't reach anyone during pregnancy crisis

I recently relocated to the area and have been attempting to contact the practice for over a week. As I am in a later stage of pregnancy and require midwifery support, I found the difficulty in reaching someone quite frustrating. This level of accessibility has been unexpected for me.

Impossible to reach by phone anymore

It is extremely difficult to reach anyone by telephone at this practice. On two separate occasions, I spent hours on hold listening to music with no indication that my call was in a queue or being acknowledged. After numerous attempted calls, I have found it nearly impossible to make contact. This is a very frustrating experience.

Persistent phone queue problems and unhelpful staff

I have difficulty reaching the practice by telephone, as calls frequently disconnect while waiting in the queue. Online appointment booking is not accessible to me, and visiting in person to request an appointment has not been productive either. The staff have not been particularly helpful with my inquiries. Overall, I am very dissatisfied with my experience at this practice.

Phone queues made accessing care nearly impossible

I share the frustrations expressed by many other reviewers regarding this practice. When appointments with the medical team are accessible, the clinical care provided is of a high standard. However, the persistent difficulties with the communications infrastructure and insufficient capacity to deliver an adequate service to all patients is deeply concerning. These systemic issues appear to be placing patients at potential risk of missing important health developments and experiencing complications from medication that lacks proper oversight. I found myself without essential medication today as a result of multiple failures. The online appointment system has been non-functional for the past week, telephone access has been unavailable for the same period, during which I spent considerable time attempting to reach the practice through phone queues across several days, including an extended wait before eventually giving up. When I attended in person today, reception declined to arrange an appointment face-to-face, refused to process an emergency prescription, and provided inaccurate guidance regarding alternative services for obtaining urgent medication. I was advised to contact the out-of-hours service to obtain an emergency prescription, as processing through the surgery would take several days. Following this direction, I contacted the out-of-hours service online and received instructions to collect medication from a designated pharmacy. The pharmacy staff were helpful and professional, but were unable to dispense the medication. They explained that responsibility lay with my own surgery, as they had failed to maintain my repeat prescriptions by not completing the necessary annual medication safety assessments. The out-of-hours service operates outside standard hours, and since the surgery remained open, they should have been the ones to provide the emergency prescription. With both the surgery and pharmacy closing at the same time, I remained without my medication. This situation left me feeling passed between different services without resolution. My prescriptions were unavailable to order online because the surgery had not completed the required annual medication reviews in a timely manner. These reviews are essential because my medications carry risks that require regular monitoring to prevent serious complications. This represents a significant gap in the standard of patient care expected.

Form-based booking system works well enough

Based on what I've read in other reviews, it appears many patients have expressed dissatisfaction with this practice and how it manages appointments. However, my own experience has been quite different. I've been attending for approximately a decade and have consistently had positive interactions. The clinical staff members have always demonstrated strong expertise and a friendly demeanor. The practice recently introduced a form-based initial assessment process, which I understand has become standard across many surgeries. While I recognise this differs from the previous telephone booking method, it has functioned well for my needs. I'm aware this approach is now commonplace in healthcare settings. The administrative staff have also been consistently pleasant and helpful throughout my time as a patient.

Staff rudeness made the visit unpleasant

I had a very negative experience at this practice. Both the staff at the surgery and those at the associated pharmacy were unhelpful and discourteous during my visits.

Quick online booking and efficient care pathway

From submitting the online form, receiving an appointment link within a week, being seen by a lovely, efficient and kind clinician today, receiving a referral to physiotherapy and being seen the same day, I have nothing but praise for the service which is currently running. Thank you. Impressed.

Phone lines constantly busy and frustrating

I have difficulty reaching the practice by phone. Despite numerous attempts to contact them, including calling at early hours as suggested, I am rarely able to get through. While the clinical staff are excellent, I find the reception team unhelpful and unresponsive to my calls.

Impossible to reach by phone or book

I would recommend seeking care elsewhere. It is extremely difficult to obtain appointments or request repeat medications through this practice. I was kept waiting on the telephone for an extended period. As a disabled person, I find this service particularly challenging to access. The practice does not seem to prioritize patient needs, and the difficulty in reaching them has added to my financial stress.

Felt listened to and well cared for

Excellent service with high-quality care provided.

Reception staff were dismissive and unhelpful

The reception team came across as unhelpful and dismissive. They appeared unconcerned with patient needs and cited being busy as a reason, though the waiting area often seemed quiet. Difficulty reaching the practice by telephone was a frustration, and it was unclear whether calls were being properly received.

Accessibility

Not easy to contact over the phone. Decided to call in to book appointment, only one receptionist on dealing with a complicated request. Several of the other receptionists walk past several times and not one helped.with the queue. Not easy to talk quietly through the perpex therefore everyone hears why you are there!!! Had to ask if an earlier appointment was available at the alternative site, this was not offered!!!

Receptionist was dismissive when I needed help

Why must the reception staff be so curt? Being new to this practice, I wasn't entirely familiar with how things work. After spending considerably longer than expected waiting on the phone, I was met with a rather dismissive receptionist who instructed me to contact the out-of-hours service after a certain time. Unfortunately, the out-of-hours service wasn't available, and I remained without relief. Regarding obtaining a callback from a clinician at this surgery, I genuinely struggle to understand how others manage to arrange this!