New Eltham Medical Centre

Patient Experience Summary

Patient feedback reveals a mixed experience with significant challenges in appointment access and phone communication alongside positive feedback about clinical care and reception courtesy. Many patients report substantial difficulties reaching the practice by telephone, with extended waiting times, frequent disconnections, and limited availability of advance booking slots. Appointment scheduling is frequently described as problematic, with patients experiencing long delays between requesting and receiving consultations, and a reliance on same-day or emergency-only booking windows that create barriers for working patients.

In contrast, clinical staff and several reception team members receive consistent praise for professionalism, compassion, and attentiveness. Patients value the quality of care provided during consultations and appreciate welcoming, supportive interactions with certain team members. The practice environment is generally described as clean and well-maintained. However, reception experience is inconsistent, with some patients reporting discourteous or unhelpful interactions, whilst others highlight exceptional courtesy and helpfulness from specific staff members.

The most significant service gap appears to be the appointment booking system and phone accessibility, which patients describe as frustrating and inefficient. This contrasts sharply with positive feedback about the clinical experience itself, suggesting the practice delivers good care once patients successfully access appointments, but the pathway to obtaining those appointments presents a substantial barrier to service delivery.