Hill Brow Surgery Pms Practice

Impossible to get through on the phone

Called repeatedly over many attempts and finally managed to speak with someone, only to be informed that there were no available slots and advised to try calling at 8am. I followed this guidance but found it made no difference. This has been the most frustrating experience I have had with a medical practice. Getting an appointment here seems nearly impossible.

Cancelled appointment sent me to back of queue

I experienced a lengthy wait to secure an appointment, which was subsequently cancelled by the practice the day prior through an automated message. Upon reaching out to arrange an alternative slot, I was informed that I would need to go through the booking process again and face another extended waiting period before being seen. It seems unreasonable that when the practice initiates a cancellation, patients should be required to restart the entire booking cycle rather than being offered priority rescheduling. Additionally, I found it extremely challenging to reach the practice by telephone to book appointments. The current system appears to be struggling to meet patient needs effectively.

Hard to reach by phone for basic information

I attempted to arrange a medical examination for a driving licence renewal. After making numerous phone calls, I eventually reached a receptionist who informed me that this service is no longer offered at the practice. I feel the standard of service has declined significantly and believe the practice warrants external review. Obtaining an appointment to see a doctor when unwell appears to be extremely difficult, and alternative options such as contacting 111 or attending accident and emergency do not seem like appropriate solutions. I understand the practice was founded by someone who was highly regarded, and I feel disappointed by what the service has become.

Long wait times and unanswered phones

The practice is difficult to reach by telephone and appointment waiting times are lengthy.

Reception queue didn't match available appointments

Extremely disappointing experience. Despite having a substantial clinical team, I was unable to secure an appointment at the stated opening time, even though the practice website indicated normal operating hours. I waited in reception while attempting to call, but received no response. It took three days to arrange an appointment for a family member who required urgent assessment for a suspected infection. The service fell well short of expectations and I feel improvements are necessary.

Prescription delays and impossible phone queues

My experience with this practice has been quite frustrating. My son was diagnosed with an infection and a prescription for medication was issued, but when I contacted two different pharmacies several hours later, neither had received it. Additionally, getting through to the reception team has proven extremely difficult, requiring numerous attempts and lengthy waiting times on the phone. I've also had issues with appointment availability. On a previous occasion when I had a health concern, I was advised by a clinician to reach out if problems arose, which I did. However, when I called back seeking an appointment, I was initially told none were available. After explaining the situation, the clinician called me back shortly after and indicated they actually had availability throughout the day. The coordination and communication within the practice seems to need significant improvement. Overall, I've found the service to be disorganised and disappointing.

Staff arguing while patients waited in reception

The atmosphere during my visit today felt chaotic, with staff members engaged in heated exchanges that were audible in the waiting area. During my consultation, I felt the clinician was dismissive of my concerns initially, suggesting my worries were unfounded. However, upon examination, they deemed an urgent referral to a specialist necessary. The overall approach felt reluctant and lacking in professionalism. I am seriously considering registering with a different practice.

Quick appointments and actually listened to me

I had a telephone consultation with a clinician who was attentive and responsive to my concerns. They arranged the necessary investigations for me, and I was pleased to find that the appointment for these tests was scheduled promptly. Following the investigation, I received my results through the practice, which also arrived sooner than I had anticipated.

Felt disregarded and poorly treated throughout

I found the service to be quite disappointing overall. The level of care provided fell short of what I would expect from a healthcare setting. I felt that I was not treated with the consideration and respect I had hoped to receive during my visit.

Long phone queues for repeat prescriptions

The telephone system is frustrating, with extensive waiting times to reach someone, followed by further delays when requesting a routine medication refill.

Reception team made booking straightforward and easy

Excellent experience throughout, with no issues encountered across any area of the practice.

Unhurried appointment with time for all questions

This is not my GP. I accompanied my 18-year-old grandson to an appointment he had been asked to attend. We had a brief wait of around 15 minutes, which was perfectly acceptable. The clinician who saw him was extremely professional, introducing herself clearly and explaining the purpose of the visit. She involved me in the conversation while ensuring she spoke directly to my grandson, using language that was appropriate and easy for him to understand without being patronising. My grandson is satisfied with the outcome, and I was genuinely impressed by the standard of care he received. I should mention that we never felt rushed or pressured to end the appointment early. The clinician took sufficient time to allow my grandson to raise his concerns and thoroughly answered all his questions with helpful explanations where needed. Thank you from both of us.

Reception staff made getting appointments nearly impossible

*Update at bottom for 2023*. This has been the most disappointing medical practice I have attended. I cannot fault the clinical staff when I have managed to see them, as they have consistently demonstrated professionalism and courtesy. My concerns centre entirely on the reception team. Their approach has been consistently unhelpful. I spent weeks attempting to secure an appointment by telephone, only to be repeatedly refused. When I attended in person, I observed others being offered appointments while I was declined unless I disclosed my medical issue. I was uncomfortable sharing personal health information in a public setting, so I declined. I was offered a callback from a clinician instead, which never materialised. I subsequently registered with another practice and obtained an appointment the following day. By that point, my condition had deteriorated significantly. Test results sent to another facility were not returned. Within days, I required hospital admission for a serious infection with complications. Earlier medical intervention would likely have prevented this outcome. I would not recommend this practice. 2023 update. The situation remains unchanged. I am writing regarding a family member who is now seriously unwell. Similar to my own experience nearly six years ago, they have been attempting to access clinical care at this practice for approximately five months through repeated calls and visits, without success. They were admitted to hospital three weeks ago and received a serious diagnosis with a poor prognosis. This practice's approach is deeply concerning, as timely intervention months ago might have altered the course of their condition or improved their quality of life. The management of this practice requires review, and the organisation warrants formal scrutiny. Our family has experienced two instances where this practice's processes have resulted in delayed care. I was fortunate in my outcome; on this occasion, we were not.

Impossible to book appointments by phone

Extremely disappointing. This has been the worst experience I've had with a GP practice. The appointment booking process via telephone is unnecessarily complicated, and available slots are virtually non-existent. The reception staff communicate in a manner that feels scripted and confrontational, consistently directing callers to alternative services which prove equally challenging to reach. When my child required medical attention, I found myself with no realistic option other than attending accident and emergency, where the setting was far from ideal for a sick child. I'm not someone who typically complains about services, but I feel genuinely let down by this practice. Additionally, I have concerns that communication between different parts of the service isn't functioning properly, as appointments don't seem to be recorded accurately and previous conversations with clinical staff don't appear to be documented or communicated effectively. The overall experience has been deeply frustrating and I intend to pursue this matter further.

Couldn't get through on the phone to book

It is extremely difficult to reach the practice and arrange an appointment through available contact methods.

Phone lines constantly busy and unwelcoming

This practice has been extremely difficult to work with. Telephone access is nearly impossible, and visiting in person has resulted in unpleasant interactions with staff who seemed dismissive and unconcerned about patient needs. Repeat prescriptions are consistently problematic to obtain, and appointment availability appears severely limited. The overall experience has been frustrating and unhelpful across multiple visits. I would not recommend this surgery to others, as the service has been consistently disappointing.

Booking system chaos and broken promises

The referral process has not worked as promised on multiple occasions. The appointment booking system appears problematic, and despite numerous attempts to reach the practice, I have not received callbacks even when supposedly on the waiting list. This has also been an issue when trying to arrange care for my children, despite being told they would not be turned away, yet we continue to wait for contact.

Appointment system makes getting through nearly impossible

This has been the most frustrating surgery experience we have had, and we are currently in the process of trying to register with an alternative practice. The booking system appears unnecessarily complicated; I have frequently needed to make numerous calls just to get through, only to be told that all available appointments have been taken and that I should attempt calling at an earlier time. This advice is particularly unhelpful when calling has already begun at opening time. In an attempt to resolve this, I requested access to online booking. However, this requires attending in person to both collect and submit the application form. The reception team were unwilling to show flexibility and informed me that I could not submit my partner's form on his behalf; he would need to attend personally to do so. When I explained that he works away and suggested they could contact him using details from his records to verify the information, I was told this would result in job loss. Only after this did they reluctantly consult with management, who approved the arrangement as an exceptional measure. When appointments are eventually secured, there is a tendency to be directed to hospital for concerns rather than receiving support at the practice; I have been told on multiple occasions that certain matters fall outside the scope of what can be addressed, despite having attended previously with the same ongoing issue. I felt compelled to lodge a complaint after calling to discuss test results, as the receptionist took it upon herself to relay the results over the phone and characterise them as abnormal. This was inaccurate, and I subsequently had to go through the entire process again to obtain a proper consultation where the correct interpretation was provided. On another visit for a routine procedure, the staff member collecting me mentioned having felt unwell; when I expressed concern, they indicated they would do their best to maintain steadiness. The procedure was carried out without proper hygiene precautions, and it was evident they were not in an appropriate condition to be working. The overall experience with this practice has been considerably stressful; however, I did have one notably positive interaction with an experienced healthcare professional in 2021 who demonstrated genuine compassion and support.

Couldn't get through after hundreds of calls

The practice does not appear to meet its intended purpose. There are numerous discussions in local online community forums expressing concerns about this surgery, though the reality of these issues only becomes apparent when you actually require medical attention. Having been a patient here for 6 years and rarely needing to access services, I was unprepared for this morning's experience. It required numerous attempts to reach someone, taking over 2 hours of my time with an extended period on hold, only to be informed that assistance could not be provided. No offer of a callback from a clinician was made available either. My family has decided to register with a different local practice.

Impossible to reach reception during morning hours

Attempting to reach reception staff proves extremely difficult. There are considerable delays before reaching the front of the queue to provide your information. Receptionists are only available during afternoon hours, and by that point all appointment slots have typically been filled. The experience feels more focused on creating frustration than providing healthcare support.