Oakenhurst Medical Practice

Reception phone manner needs improvement

Called on a Tuesday afternoon. The receptionist's manner during the call was perceived as dismissive and unhelpful, with an abrupt end to the conversation. The interaction left a negative impression regarding the level of professionalism demonstrated. In general, the practice appears to have experienced a decline over recent years, with increased difficulty in obtaining appointments. When appointments are secured, the clinical experience does not feel as attentive or thorough as it once was. Some longer-serving clinicians have moved on from the practice, and this transition seems to have affected the overall quality of care. The current state of the service raises concerns about the practice's management and operational effectiveness.

Phone lines constantly busy and frustrating

Challenging to reach by telephone, with initial recorded messages taking approximately 2 minutes before connection attempts. Upon eventually getting through to a ringing tone rather than continuous engaged signals, I experienced a wait exceeding 55 minutes in the queue before being disconnected while waiting to speak with reception staff. The practice would benefit from additional resources allocated to staffing or telephone infrastructure. While the practice is among the larger ones in the area, struggling to facilitate patient contact creates difficulties for everyone involved. It is unfortunate because the clinical staff provide excellent care and support once the initial hurdle of reaching reception is overcome.

Reception staff showed little care or courtesy

This is the first time I have felt compelled to submit an online complaint, and the situation was serious enough to warrant it. I have experienced what appears to be a consistent absence of attentiveness from both the front desk personnel and members of the clinical team. When contacting a healthcare facility, the quality of customer service is arguably the most important aspect after the actual medical care itself, and unfortunately this is entirely lacking at this practice. The interactions I have had have been dismissive in nature, with calls going unreturned and an overall sense of indifference. Making progress with this practice requires considerable persistence in the face of unhelpful attitudes and poor administrative processes. When I attempted to discuss concerns about care my partner had received, I was informed that complaints could only be submitted in written form through the postal service. This response alone speaks volumes about the approach taken here. Despite being a long-standing patient at this practice since childhood, I have decided to transfer my care elsewhere. The experience has not been worth the frustration involved. Others considering this practice should be aware of these concerns.

Phone lines constantly engaged, receptionists unhelpful

The situation appears to be deteriorating with each visit. The telephone system is extremely difficult to navigate, with lines constantly engaged from 8:30 onwards - I attempted to call over 100 times on one occasion without even reaching the menu options, and frequently had to use the main switchboard instead. After waiting approximately 40 minutes on hold, staff indicate that appointments are unavailable, despite prebookable slots supposedly existing. Reception staff have come across as dismissive and have offered medical guidance, which I felt was inappropriate given they are not clinically qualified. I required an appointment with a qualified clinician rather than advice from reception staff, and after three days of attempting contact, I felt entitled to request one. There have been multiple instances of perceived rudeness from reception. Additionally, responses to letters from specialist clinics take months, which significantly delays referral processes. The pandemic has been cited as an ongoing reason for unavailability, though this seems inconsistent with the limited appointment availability and reliance on brief telephone consultations. The practice was previously excellent, but current reception and technical difficulties are concerning. In a follow-up observation, the situation continues to feel increasingly problematic. Clinical staff have disputed health concerns I have raised, which was demoralising. When I directed them to specific dates in their records, they stated they could not form an opinion without additional information, requiring me to advocate persistently for specialist referrals. Over recent years, several diagnoses provided by the practice have not aligned with subsequent assessments. My family and I have incurred significant private healthcare costs to address issues that either worsened or were initially misidentified by this clinic. It is understandable that patients become frustrated and upset when facing these experiences, and the cumulative effect of these interactions has been genuinely distressing.

Couldn't get through on the phone

Not a worthwhile visit

Phone queues drop you mid-call without warning

I have been a patient at this practice since childhood. During my teenage years when I began arranging my own appointments, I experienced no difficulties—I could always reach the surgery by phone and never felt dismissed for seeking medical attention or routine check-ups. However, before the pandemic, my confidence in the practice had already diminished significantly. The reception staff consistently displayed discourteous behaviour, both when visiting in person and during phone calls. Booking appointments became increasingly problematic; when calling ahead, I was frequently told nothing was available for several weeks. Yet on occasions when I visited the surgery in person on the same day I had attempted to book, I was informed that slots existed throughout that week, including that very day. This discrepancy was frustrating, particularly as not all patients simply need prescriptions—some require appointments to obtain referrals for specialist investigations. Since the pandemic and in its aftermath, obtaining a phone connection has become extremely challenging. After morning emergency slots conclude, there is typically a considerable wait before the phone lines reopen. Once connected, callers find themselves in a lengthy queue, only to be disconnected just as they near the front. On the rare occasions when contact is successfully made, the reception staff remain as unhelpful as before, and appear to be offering medical opinions before asking whether a clinician should return the call. Today I was informed I would receive a callback from an out-of-hours service, but this call never arrived. The practice appears unwilling to provide in-person consultations for most patients, staff are reluctant to spend even brief periods on telephone appointments, and promised callbacks fail to materialise. This experience is deeply unsatisfactory and falls well short of acceptable standards.

Reception staff made me feel welcome

Lovely practice. The receptionist at the front desk was so friendly and helpful!

Phone lines constantly drop during prescription orders

A deeply frustrating experience at this practice. I attempted to contact them multiple times today to request a prescription refill, and each call was disconnected shortly after connecting. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. Despite having adequate reception staff present, the office appears to lack proper systems for managing routine tasks like prescription orders and appointment scheduling. If you are considering registering with this practice, I would recommend reviewing feedback from other patients before making your decision.

Impossible to reach by phone anymore

I struggled to reach the practice by phone after multiple attempts over several hours, as calls were repeatedly disconnected. If it were possible to leave a zero-star rating, I would do so. I question the benefit of having a centralised practice setup when there do not appear to be sufficient staff members available to handle telephone inquiries.

Phone queue wait left me frustrated

Had to wait in the appointment queue for around 20 minutes without receiving a response. It seems the telephone line may need attention. The underlying issue was not addressed. Would appreciate if this could be improved.

Phone system needs urgent improvement here

I had a difficult experience involving a pharmacy issue regarding my prescriptions. There were unfounded claims made about my medication use that I felt were inaccurate. Following this, my prescription was stopped without what I felt was adequate investigation or explanation. I found the handling of this matter to be dismissive and felt my concerns about the importance of my medication for my wellbeing were not properly understood. I had to make multiple attempts to reach someone who could help. When I eventually spoke with my regular GP, they were very helpful and resolved the situation for me. However, I remain concerned that inaccurate information now appears on my medical records as a result of these events. While I have no complaints about my regular GP, I feel very let down by how this situation was managed overall. Additionally, I found the practice's phone system to be frustrating, with long wait times and frequent disconnections. I feel trapped in my choice of practice due to these unresolved concerns.

Phone system keeps dropping calls repeatedly

I attempted to contact the surgery multiple times throughout the day. On each occasion, I was placed in a queue but disconnected before reaching the front of the line. The surgery does not appear to offer alternative ways to get in touch, such as text messaging or email. This means you either have to keep calling or visit in person. I also tried contacting my pharmacy to see if they could help, but they advised that I would need to speak directly with the surgery. The surgery's website does mention that a new phone system was recently installed. However, if the system is not functioning properly, there should be temporary measures in place to ensure patients can still access support during this transition period. Without such arrangements, I would expect the surgery to receive significant feedback about this issue.

Practice failed to protect patient information properly

I would caution others about potential concerns regarding the handling of personal information at this practice. I have experienced what I consider to be unprofessional conduct and am currently pursuing a formal complaint regarding my treatment by the clinic.

Repeated blood tests didn't solve my problem

I have had a very negative experience with this practice. Over a six-month period, I attended multiple appointments regarding an ongoing health concern, but felt the clinical team were unable to identify the issue. I was referred for several blood tests that produced consistent results, yet this did not lead to a resolution. Following my decision to seek care elsewhere, I submitted a formal complaint. I was subsequently informed that administrative procedures prevented my removal from the register, despite my circumstances having changed. I have since needed to register my family with an alternative practice. Overall, I found the standard of care and responsiveness to my concerns to be unsatisfactory.

Removed from practice over distance policy

I have been a patient at this practice for many years since childhood, but I have recently been informed that I can no longer attend due to relocating, despite moving to a location that is actually closer rather than further away. This decision seems illogical to me. Additionally, my partner has experienced difficulties with her healthcare and was advised not to contact the practice, and we have now both been told we cannot continue as patients. I find this situation very disappointing and would advise others to consider alternative options for their care.

Responsive and attentive to family needs

Have consistently had a positive experience with no concerns, and the practice has been attentive to the requirements of myself and my family members.

Unprofessional staff ignored my repeated concerns

This practice has provided a disappointing experience marked by unprofessional conduct from staff members who seemed inadequately trained. Over the past several months, I have repeatedly raised concerns about my health with my GP, including requests for follow-up blood tests on multiple occasions. The samples were not properly labelled, which created inconvenience and required me to take additional time away from work. Throughout this process, I felt that no one was genuinely listening to my concerns or properly documenting my formal complaint.

Reception staff understood my son's anxiety needs

I am very grateful to the receptionist who answered my call early in the morning. I was seeking an appointment for my adult son on the same day, and while his issue might not have appeared urgent on the surface, it was causing him considerable distress and anxiety given his neurodivergent needs. I appreciate how the receptionist looked beyond the presenting concern and recognised the emotional and psychological impact on my son. He left feeling significantly more reassured and positive than when he arrived, and the clinician he saw clearly took time to listen carefully and communicated in a way that worked well for him. I am very thankful for this compassionate approach.

Receptionist interaction left me disappointed today

I have consistently had positive experiences at this practice with both the clinical staff and reception team until recently. I was disappointed by my interaction with a member of the reception staff today. When I raised my concerns with the practice management, I found their response to be unprofessional.

Friendly staff but struggling without my sleeping tablets

I relocated approximately a year and a half ago and am now registered at my current practice. The team here is genuinely pleasant and I have no complaints about their service. However, my sleep medication was discontinued and I have been experiencing significant sleep difficulties since the change. I have not slept well during this entire period. My previous practice was excellent, and I felt the care there was exceptional. I do sometimes wish I had remained with my former surgery. Despite this, my current practice is well-organised and the staff are very friendly.