Holderness Health - St Nicholas' Surgery

Long phone waits made booking appointments difficult

I recently registered my newborn at this practice and subsequently received notification that registration had been completed despite my residence being considerably further away than the practice's typical catchment area. Additionally, while writing this review, I have been waiting on hold for approximately one hour and twenty minutes attempting to schedule my son's vaccination appointment. The service feels inadequate, as I have not experienced such extended wait times previously, and this call was made during a mid-week afternoon rather than during peak morning hours. If the practice is unable to manage its current patient load effectively, it would be more appropriate to cease accepting new registrations until capacity improves.

Phone queue wait times are ridiculous

It takes an extremely long time to get through by telephone. The wait to reach someone is frustratingly lengthy, and it would be quicker to visit in person than to wait for a call to be answered.

Practice ignored worsening symptoms despite repeated visits

I was disappointed with the care received. My partner was dealing with a serious condition involving fluid retention and swelling. Despite repeatedly raising concerns with the healthcare provider about the ineffectiveness of the prescribed medication, the same treatment continued to be administered. This situation ultimately resulted in a hospital admission, which I feel could have been prevented with a more responsive approach to the feedback being provided.

Hard to get an appointment here

It is incredibly difficult to obtain an appointment to see a healthcare professional. I have never experienced anything quite like it in my life. At my age, I find the level of service provided by the practice to be deeply disappointing.

Long phone waits before explaining your symptoms

After a lengthy wait to reach someone by phone, you are required to provide a detailed explanation of your concerns so they can assess whether your situation warrants an appointment. This process feels unnecessary. It is unclear why anyone other than the doctor needs to know the reason for your call. A simple phone answer and appointment booking would seem more straightforward. If anyone besides the doctor requests information about your medical history or current health matters, they should ideally possess relevant medical qualifications, which you would expect to be demonstrated upon arrival at the practice.

Months of failed appointment attempts left us frustrated

A family member has been receiving correspondence requesting attendance for a routine health review. He is also experiencing significant discomfort in his legs. Despite attempting to secure an appointment over an extended period, he has repeatedly been advised to contact the practice again at a later date. This situation has been deeply frustrating. Update. A recent medical emergency occurred involving the family member, requiring intervention from a neighbour. The family feels this incident could have been prevented or better managed had a scheduled health review been completed as requested. Following this event, he was seen at an alternative practice who provided excellent care and expressed concern that he had not received a timely appointment at the original surgery. One star rating has been selected as a lower option was not available.

Phone lines impossible to get through on

Disappointing. I spent forty minutes attempting to reach someone by telephone. I was trying to arrange an appointment for my unwell child and encountered repetitive background music along with recorded messages stating that a team member would be available shortly. This proved to be an extremely frustrating experience. The telephone response time seems unnecessarily prolonged. My child had a remote consultation approximately two weeks prior, which felt unhelpful. The guidance provided was to contact the practice again if symptoms deteriorated. This approach seems inadequate. The practice might benefit from improving telephone accessibility rather than relying on automated messaging systems. I find the overall service quality falls significantly short of what should be expected from a healthcare provider serving the local population.

Long phone queues, no face-to-face appointments available

Absolutely awful service. Hour long phone queues yet the phones remain silent in the surgery. Only remote appointments available as clinicians appear unwilling to see patients in person. Poor prescription handling with reports of medication mix-ups occurring frequently, including in my own experience. Truly disgraceful. This surgery requires serious investigation as it appears to represent poor value for public funding given the minimal effort demonstrated by staff.

Appointments fully booked within an hour of opening

An hour after the practice opened at nine in the morning, I was informed that all available appointments for the day had already been allocated. I found this situation puzzling. How is it possible for every appointment slot to be fully booked so early in the day, particularly when bookings are being handled over the telephone? I would genuinely be interested in understanding how the appointment schedules are managed across the practice. From my perspective, it appears there may be limited oversight of the booking system or clear targets in place for appointment availability. This concern is compounded by my experience of waiting on hold for extended periods, only to find that the phones seem relatively quiet during my time at the surgery itself.

Phone queue made cancellation impossible

Had to spend a considerable amount of time on the phone attempting to cancel an appointment without success. The appointment slot could have been made available to another patient. Will need to continue attempting to reach the practice to avoid being marked as a no-show.

Long phone queues need urgent fixing

Experiencing significant difficulty when attempting to contact the practice by telephone, with extended waiting times in the queue system. This situation requires urgent attention and falls well short of acceptable standards. 😠

Impossible to reach reception by phone

Getting through to reception can take considerable time, sometimes consuming most of the day. I've attempted to use the online booking system without success. I'm currently requiring ongoing medication support but have been unable to obtain assistance or guidance. I've been seeking a referral back to specialist care and have been waiting for an extended period. After submitting a formal complaint that has not received a response, I'm considering escalating the matter to the health service ombudsman.

Reception staff were dismissive of concerns raised

Multiple instances of what felt like careless errors combined with dismissive behaviour and reluctance to make necessary referrals. When raising concerns about cognitive difficulties and requesting mental health support, was directed toward psychiatric assessment, which subsequently involved neuroimaging and identified cognitive concerns. Medication adjustments were made upon arrival, and when requesting continuation of a previous prescription increase, encountered a response that felt dismissive regarding resource availability. Following referral to hospital for investigation, received advice from a consultant suggesting the practice may not meet expected standards of care. Additionally, encountered an elderly individual at the hospital entrance who appeared confused about their discharge arrangements, whom I assisted in getting home.

Long-term health issues well monitored here

I have been a patient at this practice for just over a year and have found nothing to criticise about the staff. My ongoing health concerns are being managed effectively and kept under regular review. I am very satisfied with the care provided by everyone at the practice.

Quick appointments without waiting outside

My partner has experienced nothing but kindness and patience from the reception team, nurse practitioners, nurses and doctors they have needed to see. They have had to visit several times due to ongoing health concerns, but the service has been responsive—calling in the morning means appointments are typically available within an hour or two. The practice opens at 8am, so there is no need to queue outside as was the case at our previous surgery. Since relocating here in June, I have been meaning to register with the new patient nurse, though I was initially unaware that an appointment needed to be booked for this. Apart from that minor point, the practice has been excellent.

Nurse dismissed my mental health concerns

I attended an appointment hoping to receive support or progress toward understanding my mental health concerns. The healthcare professional I saw suggested that a diagnosis might not be appropriate at my stage of life and offered various reasons for this view. I found the experience unhelpful and felt that my concerns were not taken seriously, which left me feeling unsupported during a difficult time.

Hard to find feedback channels for suggestions

I felt compelled to offer positive feedback about the Surgery and propose an idea that could benefit patients with hearing difficulties, but I was unable to locate a suitable section on the main website for sharing comments, compliments, or suggestions. This review platform does not appear to be the ideal channel, as I have limited assurance that my feedback will reach the appropriate people. I did observe in recent meeting notes that clinical staff review all correspondence, and elsewhere that the Practice values patient input, yet the mechanism for doing so is neither clear nor user-friendly.

Couldn't get appointment until months later

Attempting to book an appointment in early August only to be informed that the earliest available slot is in September, with the explanation that the matter wouldn't qualify as an emergency. This assessment came from someone at the practice, presumably working on reception, though their understanding of the situation seemed limited. Not a satisfactory experience.

Receptionist went above and beyond with medication help

I was visiting the area for a short break and realised I had left some of my regular medication behind. When I contacted my usual surgery in another city, they were unable to assist me with my situation. I decided to visit the local practice and explained my circumstances to the receptionist. She was remarkably considerate and attentive to my needs. She invited me to take a seat and after a brief wait of around fifteen minutes, she returned with a supply of the medication I required. I was extremely appreciative of her kindness and professionalism. The staff member was genuinely pleasant and courteous. I felt very grateful for the level of care and support I received during my visit. Thank you very much

Reception team were genuinely helpful

Quite useful