King Street Medical Centre

Registered but still waiting for medication support

Registered with the practice approximately four weeks ago and my medication was dispensed two weeks after registration. I subsequently lost my medication and contacted the surgery on two separate occasions as well as visiting in person twice, however the issue remained unresolved and I have not yet received a replacement supply.

Phone queue left me frustrated and ignored

Extremely poor service experience. Spent considerable time on hold before the call disconnected unexpectedly. When attempting to reconnect, felt unheard and dismissed. Currently requiring follow-up care at a local hospital and need assistance with post-operative aftercare, which is unacceptable 😡

Long phone waits make contacting surgery frustrating

Former patient at Chestnuts surgery, where the practice previously operated smoothly and efficiently. I am disappointed with how the service has changed, having waited over an hour on hold through the phone system without reaching anyone. While my previous appointments went without problems, attempting to contact the surgery by telephone has become a frustrating experience.

Staff gatekeeping makes appointments difficult to access

The service has deteriorated significantly following recent changes. Staff interactions have felt unhelpful and dismissive, with a tendency to redirect patients elsewhere rather than provide direct assistance. Phone lines are frequently unavailable and administrative staff appear to function as barriers rather than facilitators to accessing clinical care. Face-to-face consultations seem to have been discontinued, with my recent appointment conducted remotely several days after initial contact, and the clinician was considerably behind schedule. It feels frustrating that despite various public health measures implemented over the past year and a half, along with increased financial contributions to healthcare from April 2022, the quality of patient care appears to have declined rather than improved. The service provided does not feel adequate given these circumstances.

Merged practice feels less helpful now

The practice has declined noticeably following the merger of the two locations. The team appears unprofessional and lacks genuine commitment to patient care. This is disappointing given that fresh leadership is now overseeing operations, and it would be beneficial if relevant oversight bodies were to review the surgery's current standards.

Appointment booking system keeps cutting calls off

I found the service to be disappointing. The automated appointment system appears to disconnect calls, and callers are directed to an alternative service for non-urgent guidance. That service, however, only handles urgent matters and redirects non-urgent cases back to the practice. When attempting to visit in person to arrange an appointment, the practice was not accepting walk-ins, citing full availability. I believe significant improvements are needed in how appointments are managed and how the practice handles patient access if standards of service are to meet expectations.

Phone queue frustration after practice closure

Not satisfied with the service since the recent closure. I spent a considerable amount of time on hold waiting to get through, and when I finally reached the front of the queue, the call disconnected. Based on feedback from other patients, it appears the practice is struggling to manage current demand levels.

Long wait on phone with no resolution

I spent 40 minutes attempting to book an appointment. I was repeatedly told that someone would be available to assist me shortly. After this extended wait, I was redirected back to the initial menu options and found myself cycling through the same choices without making progress. I was disappointed with how this situation was handled and ultimately was unable to complete my booking.

Merger left us struggling with long waits

Following the merger, this practice has deteriorated significantly from its previous standard. When I contacted them regarding cardiovascular concerns, I was informed that previous test results indicated no issues, and was essentially directed elsewhere. After considerable persistence, I eventually secured a telephone consultation scheduled several weeks ahead. I remain concerned about the lengthy wait time given the nature of my health worries.

Phone lines need serious improvement here

I recently experienced a lengthy wait of over twenty minutes when attempting to reach the practice by phone. After finally reaching the front of the queue, the call disconnected before I could speak to anyone, and I was placed back in the queue before being cut off entirely. I had been calling to inquire about a delayed telephone appointment that should have already taken place. There appear to be several operational challenges at this practice that would benefit from attention, with improved telephone staffing levels seeming like a priority area for improvement.

Always helpful and willing to go the extra mile

I have consistently had positive experiences at this practice, with the medical staff always demonstrating a willingness to provide assistance to both myself and my family members.

Telephone system desperately needs improvement

The telephone system requires significant improvement and modernisation.

Long waits for prescriptions and follow-ups

We contribute to funding this service, and if it operated as a commercial business, it would likely have closed down. There have been significant delays with medication requests, and it has taken an extended period to schedule a follow-up imaging appointment despite an identified concern requiring investigation. The standard of care has been disappointing given what we pay towards it. I am considering whether it is possible to transfer to another practice. The continuity of care has been problematic, as I have not had consistent appointments with the same clinician, making it difficult to establish an ongoing relationship with a healthcare provider.

Reception lost important paperwork on the floor

The service is generally inconsistent, with occasional positive experiences but frequent disappointments. There was a particularly frustrating incident involving a misplaced document that I was collecting, which caused considerable concern. When it was eventually located on the floor, the legibility issues meant it would have been difficult for emergency responders to interpret it in any case.

Reception staff were unhelpful and dismissive

The reception staff provided a disappointing experience, and the overall service fell short of expectations.

Staff helped calm my anxious daughter during appointment

Just wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude to the team today when I brought my child in who was feeling quite anxious about their medical appointment. I really appreciate how you managed to help calm them down and make the experience much less stressful. They wanted to thank you for the thoughtful gifts and rewards you provided. I apologize for what turned out to be a longer appointment than initially scheduled and hope it didn't disrupt your day too much. Thank you again for your kindness and patience 🥰

Practice didn't listen to my concerns

I felt disappointed with the care provided and believe the service fell short of expectations. A formal complaint is being submitted regarding this experience.

Phone queues got worse after the merger

The practice operates well overall, though the recent consolidation has presented challenges. Telephone waiting times have become excessively long. The rationale behind merging the two locations is unclear to me, but it appears the management team would benefit from expanding their phone support capacity. On multiple occasions when I have attempted to call, I have found myself positioned far back in the queue. While I was able to reschedule my call for another time, I recognise that many patients may not have this flexibility and could experience significant delays in reaching the practice. The digital platform is also difficult to navigate and requires considerable effort to set up, even for those with strong technical skills.

Slow service and poor administration here

Disappointing experience overall, with a noticeable lack of urgency in addressing concerns. The practice appears to struggle with administrative processes and efficiency.

Email responses and phone queues need improvement

Communication through email appears to be challenging, as responses are not consistently received. The practice seems to operate with delays built into most processes. Phone wait times are lengthy, often extending beyond 30 minutes, and callers are frequently advised they will receive a callback rather than speaking to someone immediately. When callbacks do occur, there can be a further wait of several days before speaking with clinical staff to determine if an appointment is necessary. If an appointment is needed, additional delays follow. Requests for medications lack transparency regarding whether they have been processed, necessitating separate contact with the pharmacy to confirm. When raising concerns about these delays with reception staff, the response focused on workload pressures rather than addressing the underlying process issues. It was noted that prior to recent changes in management, similar requests were handled more promptly with faster turnaround times for prescriptions. A recent notice indicated a change in email systems, but enquiries about the new contact details have gone unanswered.