Houghton Regis Medical Centre

Impossible to book appointments when you need them

It has been extremely difficult to obtain an appointment for a medical certificate. After attempting to book for several weeks, all available slots appear to be fully booked by the time contact is successfully made. This situation occurs repeatedly. If a lower rating were possible, it would be given.

Helpful and informative reception staff

The staff members were genuinely helpful and provided clear information. I would strongly recommend this practice.

Reception staff pleasant but prescription handling let me down

I have been attending this practice for approximately a year. While the nursing and reception staff have been pleasant, I have experienced the clinical staff and prescription administration team as somewhat unresponsive to my concerns. I was referred to accident and emergency with a digestive complaint, and this occurred on more than one occasion. In retrospect, it appears that medication could have been prescribed at the practice level rather than requiring emergency department attendance. Additionally, there were complications with a repeat prescription being directed to an incorrect pharmacy. During this process, I felt blamed by the prescription administration team for allegedly changing my pharmacy multiple times, which was not accurate. I was also made to feel at fault for not being able to conveniently access the alternative pharmacy they had suggested. The prescription remained uncollected for two weeks as it never arrived at my intended pharmacy. It subsequently emerged that the prescription had been cancelled but was never forwarded to the correct location. When I raised this, I was informed that responsibility lay with my pharmacy, and the practice did not acknowledge their role in the initial error or in failing to correctly resend the prescription once I had requested this. The medication in question was for a mental health condition, and the delay in receiving it significantly impacted my wellbeing during this period. I eventually felt compelled to contact the practice management team to resolve the prescription issue, as I felt too anxious to communicate further with the prescription administration team, particularly following a call during which I felt dismissed when I explained I was unable to collect from the suggested pharmacy location.

Struggling to book appointments with unhelpful reception

It is extremely difficult to obtain either an in-person or phone consultation. The reception team's manner comes across as unhelpful and dismissive.

Nurse dismissed concerns without basic checks

Attended an appointment with a nurse practitioner after the GP surgery had no further availability, seeking help for persistent headaches that had lasted nearly two weeks. The practitioner's manner was unhelpful, dismissive and made me feel unwelcome. Blood pressure was checked and reported as normal, but no other assessments were carried out despite me experiencing multiple symptoms. The only recommendation offered was a stronger painkiller. As someone who works within the NHS, I was disappointed that even routine checks were not performed. I left the appointment feeling let down and still unwell. This represents the poorest experience I have encountered within the NHS. It appeared the practitioner may have lost enthusiasm for their role.

Reception staff repeatedly blocked appointment access

I am a new patient at this practice and from the outset, I have experienced significant difficulties with the service provided. My husband registered first after we relocated to the area. We intended to register our two children as well, but I decided to delay my own registration due to my pregnancy being at an advanced stage, as managing additional paperwork and appointments would have been problematic given my existing commitments with maternity services elsewhere. When my husband completed his registration form, there was no mention of children, and upon attending his appointment, he was informed that he could not register them without me being registered at the practice first. This was frustrating. I subsequently registered myself, contacted reception to arrange an appointment, and inquired about registering my children. I was advised that my eldest would need to complete a separate form, while my youngest would be automatically registered once I became an official patient. I followed these instructions. After receiving confirmation, I called to book an appointment for my daughter. The receptionist was unhelpful and repeatedly insisted that appointments after 4:30pm were unavailable, despite my husband and I both having been offered 5pm slots previously. When I questioned why there were consistently issues with later appointment times, the receptionist became dismissive and suggested I call back to speak with someone else. My first appointment at the surgery went well, and the clinical staff member was kind and professional. I explained my situation as someone with epilepsy who is pregnant and required urgent medication. I was assured the doctor would be informed immediately and would arrange the prescription promptly. On Tuesday morning, I became unwell with nausea and gastrointestinal symptoms. My husband called at 8:30am seeking an appointment, mentioning my pregnancy, and was advised to call back at 12:30pm when slots might be available. When he called at that time, he was told no appointments remained and I should attend a nearby walk-in centre instead. This response felt inappropriate given my circumstances. That same morning at 11am, I received a message stating I needed to speak with a doctor by phone regarding my epilepsy medication, as no prescription could be issued for a new patient without this consultation. My two-year-old son remains unregistered because face-to-face registration is not possible; instead, I must contact a specific staff member by phone, who frequently does not answer or appears uncertain about the process. This entire experience has been deeply unsatisfactory.

Struggling to book an appointment here

My partner has been struggling to secure an appointment. The practice keeps asking them to ring back at midday, then to try again the following day, then midday again, and so on in a repeating cycle.

Phone booking system made appointment access difficult

I experienced significant difficulties with the appointment booking process over several days. The phone line was frequently unavailable or engaged, making it challenging to reach the practice. When I eventually connected with reception staff, I was informed that no appointments were currently available. I requested the option to book an appointment in person at the surgery, but was told that appointments could only be reserved by telephone during specific times. During this interaction, I found the reception staff to be unhelpful and dismissive. When I asked for their name, the call was terminated abruptly. Overall, my experience with the booking service and staff conduct was disappointing and frustrating.

Long waits despite booking appointments

The practice frequently runs behind schedule, with patients typically experiencing waits of around 20 to 30 minutes beyond their booked appointment times.