Longfield Medical Centre

Caring team makes medical visits a breeze

The personnel here are absolutely delightful - incredibly warm and supportive. I've consistently been able to schedule consultations without difficulty. The only minor challenge is finding an available parking spot.

Horrible service ruins patient's medical experience

What an absolute farce of a medical procedure. I made sure to arrive well in advance for my blood test, only to spend ages queuing for parking and then at reception, where I was curtly informed that I'd missed my appointment slot by a mere two minutes and would not be seen. During my previous visit to one of their branch locations a year ago, I arrived 10 minutes early, was told to wait, and then ended up being seen 25 minutes after my scheduled time due to the nurse's late arrival. The front desk staff are discourteous and completely indifferent to patient concerns.

Booking nightmare at longfields medical practice

The appointment scheduling platform is completely dysfunctional. Despite claiming availability at 8am, the system prevents you from submitting appointment requests and then arbitrarily states it won't be operational until 1pm. This frustrating pattern repeats consistently. After enduring interminable phone queues exceeding two hours, the reception staff remain unhelpful. When a formal complaint is lodged, the response is generic and dismissive. Longfields urgently needs to overhaul their booking mechanism. With such inadequate primary care access, patients will inevitably overwhelm hospital emergency services. The entire experience represents utterly unacceptable healthcare service.

Friendly service makes medical admin a breeze

I NEEDED TO CONTACT THE OFFICE TO UPDATE SOME INFORMATION. AND SABRINA WAS INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE AND EXTREMELY UNDERSTANDING, SO THANK YOU SINCERELY FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE ANN

Frustrating website fails at basic booking task

Attempted to navigate Patchs' website to schedule an appointment, but encountered complete system failure.

Terrible service and frustrating appointment booking nightmare

Without a doubt, this medical clinic represents the absolute bottom of the barrel! Their digital scheduling platform appears deliberately constructed to discourage patients from securing an appointment with their local general practitioner. Even when you miraculously manage to book a slot, the practice seemingly takes perverse pleasure in sending you completely incorrect appointment times! Whoever is managing this healthcare practice deserves immediate termination, as they are fundamentally failing to meet the basic medical needs of Maldon's residents :)

Dangerous surgery kills patients through negligence and greed

If I could, I would give this surgery zero stars. This is arguably the most abysmal medical practice in the entire country! It appears these profit-driven individuals are solely focused on generating revenue through their pharmacy. They've clearly invested heavily in expanding the pharmacy, completely neglecting improvements to general practitioner services. Their greed is so extreme that they've converted the waiting area into pharmacy space, leaving patients with barely any room to sit while awaiting treatment. Elderly patients are treated with utter contempt. They have virtually no chance of securing an appointment due to their limited internet access, and their health concerns are consistently overlooked. A cherished friend tragically passed away due to their negligence. We discovered in her medical records that a local NHS service had alerted the surgery about her dangerously low blood pressure, but they couldn't be bothered to acknowledge this critical information. Consequently, they continued prescribing high blood pressure medication, which left her disoriented and caused two devastating falls that ultimately resulted in her death. Despite having supposed 'medication reviews' conducted via telephone, no one actually examined her records. They recklessly continued prescribing medication without even checking her blood pressure at the surgery. Her family repeatedly requested in-person appointments, but these heartless staff continue using COVID as an excuse to avoid face-to-face consultations. Their new automated system is completely dysfunctional! How can artificial intelligence possibly assess a patient's need to see a doctor? The receptionists are absolutely deplorable. How many more patients must die or suffer severe health complications before the Care Quality Commission intervenes and shuts down this dangerous practice? I implore you, if you've experienced negative treatment here, do not remain silent. They must be reported!! Healthwatch.co.uk provides excellent support for initiating complaints. Just reading the horrific experiences shared in these reviews demonstrates that this surgery is fundamentally unfit for purpose and requires urgent intervention before more innocent lives are needlessly endangered!!

Bureaucratic nightmare for universal credit seekers

Awful experience with the system - my wife constantly requires a fresh medical certificate for universal credit, yet they're incredibly sluggish and unresponsive every single month.

Frustrating healthcare system fails desperate parent

What a frustrating experience! I attempted to schedule a consultation via Patchs at the recommended 8am time slot for my sick child, only to be told they're unavailable until 1pm. It's no surprise healthcare facilities are struggling under such inefficient practices.

Disappointing patches not worth my time

I'm not a fan of these adhesive coverings.

Great service and compassionate healthcare team

I scheduled my appointment via patches, and the process was incredibly smooth. The doctor was exceptionally welcoming and promptly arranged a scan for me. After completing the scan, I received a follow-up call where the doctor thoroughly explained the recommended next steps. I'm giving this a perfect 5-star rating because I'm truly delighted with the doctor's professionalism and kindness. A heartfelt thank you!

Longfield medical centre fails patient completely

Appalling Lack of Compassion Let me share my shocking experience! Attention Longfield patients: this is crucial information!!! This afternoon, I contacted 111 due to worsening cough and breathing difficulties, struggling to secure an appointment all week. Paramedics arrived within 20 minutes and were incredibly professional, diagnosing me with a severe chest infection. They attempted to contact my GP at Longfield to obtain an antibiotic prescription, but were repeatedly dismissed. The surgery callously hung up multiple times, insisting on sending me to A&E despite the paramedics explaining I simply needed antibiotics and they were still open for nearly two hours. The frustrated paramedics were forced to call 111 and wait for the 6 pm doctor shift to prescribe medication. They were utterly stunned by this treatment and plan to file a formal complaint, as do I. Longfield Medical Centre's complete disregard for patient care is shameful. After donating over 400 hours to their Covid clinic, I am absolutely done! 😡😡 Now I'm waiting for 111's call to get my necessary medication. Fortunately, the compassionate paramedics are reporting this misconduct, and we've contacted our MP to expose the truth. 111 was equally horrified and quickly arranged a prescription at Blackwater's 24/7 pharmacy for antibiotics and steroids. 😀😀 Don't blindly trust Longfield's narrative!

Terrible service and rude staff drive patients away

Absolutely dreadful experience with scheduling, thanks to the discourteous front desk staff. My elderly mother was so completely frustrated by the difficulty in securing a medical consultation that she ultimately switched healthcare providers and couldn't be happier with her decision. Steer clear of this practice.

Terrible service leaves patients frustrated and helpless

Absolutely terrible experience. The front desk staff display an appalling lack of professionalism and courtesy. They completely disregard patient concerns and force everyone to use an online booking system without any personal interaction. Their staff seems completely ignorant about the digital platform, leaving patients stranded without appointments or any meaningful communication. This approach is particularly devastating for individuals struggling with mental health challenges, and could potentially have serious, even life-threatening consequences. The medical practice urgently needs to address these critical failings and remember that as UK citizens, we are entitled to proper NHS healthcare services.

Helpful staff but terrible parking nightmare

Went with my spouse to get her coronavirus vaccination at a new location. She praised the staff's professionalism, but the parking situation was frustrating. I received a ticket because the time limit was only 15 minutes, and I missed the poorly placed sign. They should make the parking restrictions more visible, as patients are primarily focused on making it to their medical appointment on time.

Quick and efficient medical service rocks

Accessed Patchs around 8:30 AM. Seemingly processed within 4 minutes. Consultation scheduled for 10:50 was completed by 11:00. Incredibly professional team.

Frustrating healthcare experience with scheduling nightmare

Scheduling a consultation is extremely challenging.

Broken system fails patients and risks lives

The current appointment scheduling approach is completely dysfunctional and requires a comprehensive redesign. Despite referral requests from medical practitioners following diagnostic tests, no appointment slots are accessible. Patients are consistently forced to navigate an online system that becomes fully booked within minutes, or endure prolonged telephone queues starting at 8am, only to be informed that no appointments are available. Residents are becoming increasingly frustrated, and I am convinced this ineffective system will ultimately result in preventable fatalities among at-risk individuals.

Efficient prescription service saves my holiday health

Exceptional assistance. I proactively reached out about renewing my prescription ahead of schedule due to an upcoming lengthy trip where I would run short on medication. I sent an email with my request, and within hours I was able to collect my prescription from the pharmacy. I truly appreciate their prompt and efficient handling of my needs.

Patchs system saves the day for medical appointments

Used the Patchs system at 10am after missing the 7am slot again today due to health issues, ironically. However, I logged my issue and indicated preference for phone or face-to-face appointment, receiving a quick response confirming an appointment at Longfields Surgery today. I find the midnight online booking system frustrating as GP slots are extremely limited, often with fewer than 3 appointments available that vanish within seconds. Sometimes the only available slot might be with a doctor you're not comfortable with, causing hesitation and resulting in the appointment disappearing. Patchs is definitely a valuable addition to the surgery. Each time I've used it, the experience has been excellent. I appreciate the ability to provide comprehensive background information for the GP/team to review, ensuring they understand the context when seeing or speaking with you. They occasionally offer a 10am slot for booking, though this varies daily. The doctors are consistently great. I have my preferred physicians and a couple I personally didn't connect with, but that's normal - we're only human after all, and I've heard they're excellent with other patients. Despite online reviews criticizing the receptionists, I've found them friendly and helpful over 8 years, with only one exception years ago. I believe everyone can have a bad day, and treating people kindly usually results in positive interactions. I like Longfields Surgery, understanding they're managing an overwhelming patient load with fewer GPs entering the profession. The nurses are particularly impressive - caring, friendly, and highly competent. I wish Longfields would revert to pre-booking appointments for non-emergency consultations. My current appointment could have been scheduled in advance, but that option isn't available, necessitating an on-the-day booking. Patchs is the optimal solution, as getting online typically secures same-day appointments. Medication review waiting lists seem prolonged, and occasional online record errors occur, but these are human oversights that can be corrected when pointed out. I'm hopeful today's appointment will be as positive as previous ones. It's a good medical center simply dealing with systemic pressures, and their appointment system could benefit from review - often, people resist changing established processes. Despite appointment limitations, I remain a satisfied patient, with the added benefit of potentially being seen at their Heybridge branch.