Patient Experience Summary

Appointment access remains the most significant challenge at this practice, with patients consistently reporting difficulty reaching the surgery by phone, prolonged waiting times in queues, and limited availability of slots. The same-day calling system creates barriers for those with inflexible work schedules, and when contact is finally achieved, patients are frequently told no appointments are available. Reception experience has been mixed, with some describing staff as unhelpful or unresponsive, though others have noted courteous interactions and appreciation for the callback system when available. In contrast, the clinical and medical staff generally receive positive feedback for their professionalism, compassion, and quality of care. The practice environment is described as clean and well-maintained, and services such as repeat prescriptions and comprehensive offerings including contraception and diagnostic tests are valued. Communication failures extend beyond phone access, with reports of unresponsive online systems and missed follow-ups for patients with ongoing health needs. While some recent feedback highlights improvements in appointment scheduling efficiency and supportive reception interactions, the persistent theme across reviews is that accessing care remains unnecessarily difficult and frustrating for many patients.

Patients have expressed particular concern about the impact of booking difficulties on their health outcomes, with some reporting delayed care following emergency department referrals and others struggling to manage chronic conditions due to lack of continuity. A small number of reviews acknowledge the constraints faced by staff operating within a challenging system, and there is recognition that some team members demonstrate genuine commitment to helping patients despite systemic limitations. The practice would benefit from addressing phone line capacity, implementing advance booking options, and ensuring consistent communication protocols to reduce the gap between the quality of clinical care and the accessibility of that care.

Appointment

18.30 %
Bad

Reception

28.50 %
Bad

Cleanliness

72.00 %
Great

Care

58.75 %
Average

Respect

42.15 %
Poor

Seen on time

35.60 %
Poor

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SS

Shaun S. Google 5 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Frustrating healthcare experience with zero communication

Unable to reach anyone via telephone, impossible to visit the medical center in person. Utterly futile experience. I've completely lost patience and am now considering finding an alternative healthcare provider.

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KB

Kevin B. Google 5 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Worst medical office ever, avoid at all costs

Scheduling a visit is incredibly challenging, and their communication is consistently unreliable. Reaching out to their staff feels like an exercise in futility.

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MC

Martin C. Google 5 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Terrible healthcare experience that needs urgent improvement

Scheduling a consultation here is an utter ordeal... one can only imagine how many individuals abandon their health pursuit and potentially develop severe medical complications because of this dysfunctional process and infrastructure.

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EO

Emilie O. Google 5 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Frustrating healthcare experience with unhelpful doctors

Scheduling an initial consultation was an incredibly lengthy process even prior to the pandemic, and when I finally secured appointments addressing my psychological well-being and persistent pain, the medical professionals seemed disinterested and dismissive. With the current lockdown, my mental state has dramatically deteriorated, yet securing medical assistance remains impossible. The digital platforms are equally dysfunctional - the GP mobile application is non-functional, and my carefully completed online consultation request, which promised a response "within two working days," was entirely disregarded. This practice appears thoroughly incompetent and demonstrates a profound lack of concern for patient welfare :/

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WK

William K. Google 5 years ago

Rating

Great!

Amazing customer support every time

Top-notch customer care that truly stands out.

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KW

Kevin W. Google 5 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Unresponsive doctor leaves patient frustrated and hurting

Following my complete hip replacement surgery, I reached out to the physician inquiring about potential physiotherapy due to limited joint mobility and ongoing discomfort. Consistent with my previous experiences, I received absolutely no response - an utterly disappointing communication failure.

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KB

Kira B. Google 5 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Endless wait leads to customer service nightmare

I've just endured a frustrating 51-minute wait, starting from position 15 in the queue, only to finally reach the front of the line and have the representative abruptly hang up on me! Absolutely unacceptable! When I attempted to call back, I was inexplicably placed back at position 14. I'm throwing in the towel for today and will try again tomorrow.

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JB

Janice B. Google 5 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Terrible service and endless waiting nightmare

I dialed 102 times just to connect, and once I finally got through, I was left waiting on hold for nearly an hour before speaking with a receptionist. Then, to my frustration, I was informed that an appointment would not be available for almost a week. This level of service is completely unacceptable, and they need to wake up and address these serious inefficiencies.

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LO

Lauren O. Google 6 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Terrible service and impossible to see a doctor

Always impossible to reach by phone, and if you miraculously connect, expect to languish on hold for more than sixty minutes. Scheduling an appointment seems like a distant dream, and when you finally do, it's three months down the line. Wouldn't it be wonderful if people could plan their health issues in advance? Desperate enough to contact the emergency line, only to be informed they lack the technological capability to book urgent consultations... what an absolute waste of precious time. This medical practice is nothing short of a complete farce.

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DW

David W. Google 6 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Frustrating scheduling nightmare at this medical office

Scheduling a consultation is completely out of the question, plain and clear.

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SP

Stevie P. Google 6 years ago

Rating

Poor!

Nightmare appointment system wastes time and money

I attempted to call 127 times during my initial try to schedule an appointment, only to be informed that no slots were available. On my subsequent attempt, I waited 10 minutes on hold to inquire about a booking for the following day. A courteous receptionist explained that appointments were currently unavailable and suggested I queue outside at 7:30 AM with a chance of seeing a doctor. I was cautioned to arrive early, as many others would be in the same situation, and there was a risk that all daily appointments might be exhausted by the time I reached the front of the line. While I understand this isn't the NHS's fault, I sympathize with their challenges. The root cause is likely inadequate funding. As a result, I've taken an unpaid day off work to potentially consult my physician. The ironic mathematics of this situation: No work day = no pay = no tax contribution = reduced NHS resources

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BP

Bethany P. Google 7 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Frustrating wait for medical appointment disaster

Completely unacceptable customer experience. I've been attempting to contact them since 7:30 AM regarding my toddler's needs, and after approximately 200 dialing attempts, I'm constantly met with a busy signal. This service is a complete mockery and should either be shut down or stop allowing new registrations. The current system is overcrowded, though I must acknowledge that half of the medical staff are actually quite excellent!

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JS

Jade S. Google 7 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Terrible customer service at this medical practice

The majority of the front desk employees display discourteous behavior, fail to pay attention, and seem clueless about their responsibilities. Getting through to them is incredibly challenging, as they either don't pick up calls or leave you hanging for half an hour while engaged in personal conversations. During my extended wait for an appointment, I've spoken with other patients who share similar sentiments about the clinic's poor quality and staff attitude. Some have even gone as far as switching healthcare providers due to their terrible experiences, which is completely understandable. Despite these significant drawbacks, there are fortunately two or three decent doctors within the practice.

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About the GP

  • Accepts all feedback, both positive and negative.

Contact Information

  • 01946 692241
  • Lowther Medical Centre 1 Castle Meadows Whitehaven Cumbria CA28 7RG

Patient Experience Summary

Appointment access remains the most significant challenge at this practice, with patients consistently reporting difficulty reaching the surgery by phone, prolonged waiting times in queues, and limited availability of slots. The same-day calling system creates barriers for those with inflexible work schedules, and when contact is finally achieved, patients are frequently told no appointments are available. Reception experience has been mixed, with some describing staff as unhelpful or unresponsive, though others have noted courteous interactions and appreciation for the callback system when available. In contrast, the clinical and medical staff generally receive positive feedback for their professionalism, compassion, and quality of care. The practice environment is described as clean and well-maintained, and services such as repeat prescriptions and comprehensive offerings including contraception and diagnostic tests are valued. Communication failures extend beyond phone access, with reports of unresponsive online systems and missed follow-ups for patients with ongoing health needs. While some recent feedback highlights improvements in appointment scheduling efficiency and supportive reception interactions, the persistent theme across reviews is that accessing care remains unnecessarily difficult and frustrating for many patients.

Patients have expressed particular concern about the impact of booking difficulties on their health outcomes, with some reporting delayed care following emergency department referrals and others struggling to manage chronic conditions due to lack of continuity. A small number of reviews acknowledge the constraints faced by staff operating within a challenging system, and there is recognition that some team members demonstrate genuine commitment to helping patients despite systemic limitations. The practice would benefit from addressing phone line capacity, implementing advance booking options, and ensuring consistent communication protocols to reduce the gap between the quality of clinical care and the accessibility of that care.

Appointment

18.30 %
Bad

Reception

28.50 %
Bad

Cleanliness

72.00 %
Great

Care

58.75 %
Average

Respect

42.15 %
Poor

Seen on time

35.60 %
Poor
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