Nantgarw Road Medical Centre

Felt understood and taken seriously

I attended an appointment with a clinician for the first time. The healthcare professional demonstrated considerable understanding and maintained a professional approach when discussing my concerns. I was impressed with the quality of care provided and would like this feedback to be acknowledged.

Long waits despite having appointments

The medical professionals here are competent. However, appointment wait times can be quite lengthy, even when you have a scheduled slot booked in advance.

Phone receptionist lacked patience and kindness

The receptionist who answered my call was quite dismissive. I felt like I was bothering them. I believe that conversation could have been handled with greater compassion and patience. As a young person, I'm not familiar with all the processes involved, and I felt anxious about raising any concerns. I just wanted to get off the phone as soon as I could.

Practice manager was dismissive and rude

The practice management team displayed behaviour that felt discourteous and fell short of professional standards expected in a medical setting.

Prescription errors and dismissive phone staff

Absolutely dreadful. The practice has difficulty managing prescriptions and coordinating with pharmacies. Staff interactions over the phone are dismissive and lack courtesy.

Receptionist dismissive when answering app questions

My wife contacted reception regarding a work-related document. The receptionist she spoke with came across as dismissive and unhelpful. As it was her first time using the online system, she sought clarification on a couple of points, but the receptionist responded in a manner that suggested she should already be familiar with the procedures, with comments such as "What do you mean what happens next?" being typical of his tone. I felt this was an unreasonable response to a straightforward question. I recognise that the practice operates under considerable pressure, but it would be beneficial to remember that many patients contacting the surgery are dealing with health concerns and naturally have anxieties about their care. A more compassionate approach would certainly be appropriate. I must say I found this interaction quite disappointing. It may be worth considering whether additional training on patient communication would be helpful for this member of staff, as their manner does not reflect well on the practice overall.

Reception staff could be more respectful

The receptionist at the practice was dismissive and spoke to me in a manner I found disrespectful. I would prefer not to be addressed in that way when visiting.

Phone queue left me waiting then hung up

I waited 35 minutes to get through, and when I had to unlock my phone to silence the speaker, the call disconnected. When they rang back, I was informed I was number 12 in the queue. I was advised that an in-person appointment was not available, but a telephone consultation could be arranged in 7 weeks. I was told that if I required assistance before then, I should attend hospital instead. While other local services may have their shortcomings, at least they have medical professionals available.

Receptionist listened and eased my worries

I recently called the practice in the morning to arrange an appointment. The receptionist who answered was apologetic about the wait time and took the time to understand what I needed. She offered me a suitable date and time to see a clinician, which I appreciated. The interaction left me feeling reassured and satisfied with how my request was handled. I'm grateful for the assistance provided.

Phone lines answered with genuine politeness

My family and I have been registered with this practice for nearly two years. We have not experienced any issues during this time. The reception staff have consistently answered calls in a courteous manner, and all the team members we have interacted with have been supportive and accommodating.

Long-term patient appreciates the new management approach

I have been a patient at this practice for over five decades. I have been very pleased with the approach taken by the current management team and reception staff.

Long wait for a callback that never came

I have been waiting since early afternoon for a call from the medical team. I then contacted the practice in the late evening, which involved a lengthy phone call of around half an hour before I was able to reach someone. The receptionist indicated I would receive a call within a short timeframe, but this did not materialise. I was advised to wait until the following morning instead.

Reception staff didn't listen or show respect

I have been a patient at this practice for approximately five years. The clinical and administrative staff have generally been excellent; however, I have had negative experiences with one particular receptionist. During my two interactions with this staff member, I found her manner to be unhelpful and dismissive. On the first occasion, I attended with a family member and felt the receptionist was not accommodating. Following a recent encounter with the same staff member, I spoke with a manager about my concerns. Unfortunately, this conversation was also unsatisfactory, as the manager spoke over me and did not appear willing to listen to my feedback. When I enquired about the practice's data retention policy for recorded calls, the response I received was vague and unhelpful, which left me frustrated. I intend to pursue this matter through the formal complaints procedure. I felt that both interactions were unwelcoming and fell short of the standard of service I would expect. This experience has been disappointing.

Long waits and no appointments available

The medical centre appears to struggle with appointment availability and lengthy waiting periods, which has created concerning challenges for patients accessing care.

Online booking made appointments straightforward

Overall, I feel this practice is quite good. I'm able to book appointments through their online system. For non-urgent matters, I've generally been able to get seen on the same day when the clinician has felt it necessary.

Long phone waits and unwelcoming reception staff

Undoubtedly one of the poorest GP practices I have been associated with. Following my relocation to the area in 2020, I registered at the surgery. On each occasion I telephone, I experience lengthy waiting periods, typically between 20-30 minutes before speaking to someone. Once connected, the questioning from reception staff regarding appointment requests feels quite intensive, and in the vast majority of cases, I am initially offered a telephone consultation despite knowing I require an in-person assessment. The clinical staff members are generally pleasant and supportive. The nursing team are equally accommodating, though some support staff can occasionally display a somewhat unfriendly demeanor. The reception team, however, consistently appear frustrated and demonstrate poor interpersonal skills. During a recent visit to collect medication, I was informed it was not yet available and would be ready at 2pm, which was problematic as I had travel plans that afternoon. The receptionist displayed visible irritation, stating they lacked the time to locate my prescription among others and made a dismissive gesture. This was a straightforward request, and when I politely expressed that their apparent lack of availability reflected poorly on patient care standards, they appeared taken aback and subsequently agreed to search for it. It should not require such a comment to prompt staff to fulfill their responsibilities. The team would benefit from improved training in customer service and patient interaction. I am considering transferring my registration to an alternative practice, as I attended there recently for a minor procedure and experienced notably different service—the staff were courteous, professional, welcoming, and greeted patients with warmth upon arrival, in stark contrast to my current practice.

Lengthy waits and disjointed online booking system

It's quite disappointing because this practice was considerably better in the past. The facilities were excellent, waiting times were short, there was a broad range of services, and the clinical staff were wonderful. Unfortunately, the centre simply hasn't evolved or even kept pace with the changes that have been necessary in recent times. Waiting times are now quite lengthy, it's an arduous process to actually get seen, the online services are so disjointed it's actually quite a poor user experience and call waiting times can be appalling. The remote consultation service is supposed to get you in contact with a clinician the next day, as it's quite clear when you book. But you often end up waiting days for even a phone call. I suspect that staffing constraints account for much of this. A few extra people on hand, a better integrated online experience, and more services being offered over the weekend would easily bring the practice back up to speed. The question is whether this is important enough to the management. This practice could easily be an exceptional facility if it is.

Reception staff made me feel unwelcome and dismissed

I have registered at numerous medical practices throughout my time and have never experienced difficulties, but I must say this is the most disappointing I have encountered. The reception staff member was exceptionally impolite, unprofessional, unhelpful and condescending. I was treated disrespectfully and was required to wait an extended period for an urgent appointment. The clinician I consulted with was excellent, which makes it particularly unfortunate that the reception staff conduct themselves in such a negative manner towards patients. Update I returned a year later for a routine vaccination appointment. The healthcare professional administering the vaccine was wonderful, displaying cheerfulness and compassion. However, the reception staff member remained very unwelcoming. I felt discouraged and they appeared frustrated when I needed to ask about the online appointment system. I explained that I was unable to access the online booking function and that my only alternative was to use the e-consultation option. Their response was to dispute what I was saying and suggest that I would have received documentation about this when I first registered. I clarified that I had only been given a registration form and nothing further, but they maintained that I must have received additional paperwork and terminated the discussion. I sat in reception feeling taken aback that they had essentially contradicted my account. I also observed that they were curt, abrupt and appeared frustrated with every patient who approached the desk. The situation remains unchanged after a year, and I would still rate this practice one star due to the reception team's conduct.

Long wait for online appointment booking

Online consultation appointment scheduled for approximately three and a half weeks ahead. Quite remarkable.

Reception phone queue made rebooking impossible

I found the service at this medical center to be extremely disappointing. I waited several weeks for an initial test, and subsequently learned that further examination was required with another test needed. After the results became available, there was a considerable delay before I was contacted to inform me of this. I was then directed to contact reception to arrange a new appointment. Despite making numerous attempts to reach reception and spending considerable time on hold, I eventually managed to book another appointment, though this required waiting several additional weeks. Overall, this experience fell significantly short of the standard I have come to expect from other medical centers I have attended. I am very dissatisfied with the level of service provided.