Linthorpe Surgery

Receptionist unhelpful when seeking emergency help

I had a very disappointing experience with the reception staff. I attended seeking urgent assistance and required a consultation, but the staff member at the desk appeared unwilling to help and directed me to use the online services instead.

Couldn't get through on the phone

Unsuitable for its intended function.

Phone lines constantly busy and understaffed

Unable to reach the practice by telephone despite numerous attempts, and faced long waiting times at reception with limited staff availability to book an appointment. After requesting an online consultation, the promised contact did not arrive as scheduled, with communication only resuming several days later to arrange a phone appointment instead. Struggling to secure an in-person appointment with a clinician through the available booking methods.

Staff were helpful and responsive

I cannot express enough gratitude for the support received at the practice recently. The team members who assisted me over the past few days were truly valued and their help is much appreciated. Thank you very much.

Impossible to reach by phone for prescriptions

I have experienced considerable difficulties obtaining my medication since being switched to a different one. Previously, my prescription was delivered monthly without issue, but now I face challenges each time I need to reorder. I have been advised to use the online ordering system, however creating an account requires a phone call, and I find it extremely difficult to reach anyone by telephone. This process has become frustrating, and I feel there should be a more straightforward way to access my medication.

Turned away without being examined

Experienced an allergic reaction with significant itching, burning sensation and facial swelling. Attended an appointment a few minutes after the scheduled time and was advised to reschedule without being examined. Found this disappointing given the urgent nature of the symptoms. Subsequently attended the hospital emergency department for assessment. Felt there was an inconsistency in how late arrivals were handled compared to other healthcare settings.

Friendly staff who actually listen to you

I'm not sure why people criticise this practice so much! If they have concerns, they should either fund medical education themselves or lobby the government for better healthcare funding! It's not the clinicians' fault! One clinician is excellent for mental health consultations and I'd recommend them for that specialty, though they may not be the best fit for other areas. Another clinician is really kind and takes time to listen to patients and shows genuine care. A third clinician is also very capable and clearly knows their field! Another clinician is equally kind and competent! Waiting times can be unpredictable, which is sometimes unavoidable, and occasionally the reception staff can come across as a bit curt. If waiting times are a concern, people should consider working there themselves—not everyone wants to work on the phones so that's understandable! My only negative experience was being made to feel uncomfortable about my appearance by a clinician during a consultation where they needed to look up information.

Getting through on the phone takes persistence

I have a very positive impression of this practice overall. The main challenge I encountered was accessing the surgery by telephone, which proved time-consuming and difficult to navigate, though persistence does eventually get results. However, this highlights a need for an improved communication system. Like many NHS facilities, the practice would benefit from additional staffing resources to manage current demand and reduce waiting times. The clinical team members are excellent. They demonstrate genuine attentiveness, take time to listen carefully, and provide clear explanations in a way I hadn't experienced at my previous surgery. There are areas where some team members could enhance their approach. I felt that on occasions when I had researched my own health concerns and understood what support I needed, my input wasn't fully considered. This was particularly noticeable when I referenced relevant NHS guidance related to my situation. Greater responsiveness to patient knowledge and ensuring that promised information is reliably sent through would make a meaningful difference. Overall, I appreciate the dedication shown and would encourage the team to continue learning from one another and building on their strengths.

Phone lines cut off, forced online booking instead

I have found this to be the worst medical practice I have attended. Several months ago, I felt compelled to lodge a formal complaint in order to secure an appointment, as the telephone lines were experiencing frequent disconnections that would occur after approximately an hour, followed by a lengthy two-week wait for an available slot. Following a recent consultation at an out-of-hours medical facility, I required an appointment at my regular practice to obtain a referral for imaging. When I called to arrange this, I was able to connect without difficulty. However, I was directed to complete the booking through their online system and was not permitted to arrange the appointment via telephone. I outlined my demanding work commitments and explained that I would likely need to ring back to adjust the time allocated by the online form, making it more efficient to book over the phone initially. Despite my explanation, the staff member insisted I proceed online, which seemed an impractical approach given that it would necessitate a follow-up call, thereby creating additional administrative burden for all parties. I would recommend considering alternative practices if you are considering registering with a surgery.

Appointments kept getting cancelled with no warning

The experience at this practice has been consistently poor due to frequent appointment cancellations that occur without advance notice.

Felt truly listened to at last

The clinician I previously saw was by far the best GP I have encountered, demonstrating genuine care and attentiveness - they went above and beyond to help me. Unfortunately, since changing practices, I have had a disappointing experience with my new surgery so far.

Impossible to reach practice by phone

It is difficult to arrange a consultation as telephone access is problematic. When you finally manage to get through, you are told that an appointment with a doctor is necessary, but booking one proves challenging with availability only several days away. The ongoing difficulty in reaching the practice by phone makes the process of securing a doctor's appointment frustrating.

Couldn't get through on the phone for appointment

Recently registered with this practice and have been unable to reach anyone by phone to arrange an appointment regarding my health concerns. This experience mirrors previous difficulties I have had with other practices, which has been disappointing.

Long waits for appointments and prescriptions

Avoid this practice if possible. Extended waiting periods to obtain appointments and access necessary prescriptions are unacceptable. Your wellbeing and the standard of care you should expect deserve better than what this surgery provides.

Medication refill system leaves patient repeatedly without inhalers

I have been experiencing a persistent problem with the repeat ordering of my respiratory medications for several months now. The core issue is that the interval between prescription issue dates is insufficient, causing me to deplete my inhalers before I am able to place a new order through the online system. This means I find myself needing to submit custom requests via the portal each month, which are frequently rejected, despite my clearly communicating each time that my medication supply is running critically low or already exhausted. This situation feels particularly risky given my respiratory condition and the fact that I am currently under specialist care with additional health considerations being monitored. I have dealt with this same problem repeatedly over the past year. I am not overusing my medications. However, I do require one of my inhalers approximately every five hours. The prescription intervals need to be adjusted to reflect my actual usage patterns. Despite raising this issue multiple times during appointments and telephone consultations with various members of staff, no action has been taken. I feel unheard and unsupported. The monthly stress of managing this cycle is exhausting, and the potential health risks are concerning. I have now completely run out of one inhaler and am critically low on another, which means I will need to contact the out-of-hours service for emergency prescriptions after the surgery closes. This adds further stress, particularly as the expectation is to contact the surgery during working hours, yet the phone lines are consistently unanswerable. The standard of care at this practice has declined significantly. The service was once excellent, but it is now inadequate with insufficient regard for patient wellbeing. Telephone access is extremely difficult. I have decided to transfer my registration to another local practice. I am frustrated, exhausted, and deeply dissatisfied with the lack of support and responsiveness I have received. I intend to share this feedback on the NHS platform and other relevant review sites. As a final note, I recently received advice suggesting I should use one of my inhalers only every few days, which does not align with my clinical needs.

Couldn't get through on the phone

5 stars for a frustrating experience!

Long waits and understaffed reception area

I would suggest reconsidering a visit, as the experience was quite frustrating. Upon arrival, I was given a number and asked to wait in a crowded reception area. The single staff member at reception appeared overwhelmed, and their attention was frequently diverted by other matters. After waiting approximately 45 minutes, my number had still not been called, despite many others being seen ahead of me. The check-in process seemed problematic, with some patients unable to use the computer system and requiring manual registration at the desk. Overall, the appointment experience felt disorganised and inefficient.

Phone system down, surgery needs urgent help

Communication from the practice indicated they were experiencing telephone difficulties. The service infrastructure appears to require significant improvement, and there are concerns about whether adequate patient appointments are being scheduled and delivered.

Phone queue kept cutting me off

The telephone system requires attention, as callers who reach the front of the queue experience disconnections.

Reception made unhelpful comments about appointment times

Reception staff interactions were disappointing. When I expressed concern about appointment availability affecting my work schedule and requested alternative times, the response felt dismissive. After being informed that same-day appointments were the only option available, I commented that the scheduling system seemed problematic. Rather than accepting my clarification that I wasn't blaming the individual, the staff member made remarks that felt pointed and defensive. I felt there was unnecessary rudeness in the exchange, particularly given that I had already acknowledged the system limitations were not the staff member's responsibility. Professional courtesy would have been more appropriate when discussing concerns about appointment availability.