Medical professionals at the practice receive consistent praise for professional care, compassion, and attentiveness, with several patients highlighting exceptional doctors and nursing staff. However, reception services present a stark contrast, with widespread complaints about discourteous and dismissive staff behaviour. Appointment booking remains a significant challenge, characterised by lengthy phone wait times, frequent call disconnections, and difficulty securing timely slots, with patients reporting waits of several weeks or extended periods on hold. Communication failures extend beyond booking, with patients describing unresponsive phone lines, poor callback systems, and staff who appear unwilling to assist. The practice environment and welcome are generally positive when patients reach reception in person, though the telephone experience creates substantial barriers to access. This disconnect between the quality of clinical care and the reception experience significantly undermines patient confidence in the service overall.
Patients express frustration at the absence of online booking alternatives and the reliance on a dysfunctional phone system that fails to meet demand. Several reviews note that staff attitudes range from unhelpful to confrontational, with some patients reporting they were interrogated about medical details or made to feel like an inconvenience. Prescription requests, referral processes, and follow-up care coordination have also been affected by communication breakdowns and delays. While some patients acknowledge the challenges facing healthcare services generally, the consistent pattern of reception difficulties across multiple reviews suggests systemic issues with appointment access, telephone responsiveness, and staff courtesy that require urgent attention to restore patient experience.
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Medical professionals at the practice receive consistent praise for professional care, compassion, and attentiveness, with several patients highlighting exceptional doctors and nursing staff. However, reception services present a stark contrast, with widespread complaints about discourteous and dismissive staff behaviour. Appointment booking remains a significant challenge, characterised by lengthy phone wait times, frequent call disconnections, and difficulty securing timely slots, with patients reporting waits of several weeks or extended periods on hold. Communication failures extend beyond booking, with patients describing unresponsive phone lines, poor callback systems, and staff who appear unwilling to assist. The practice environment and welcome are generally positive when patients reach reception in person, though the telephone experience creates substantial barriers to access. This disconnect between the quality of clinical care and the reception experience significantly undermines patient confidence in the service overall.
Patients express frustration at the absence of online booking alternatives and the reliance on a dysfunctional phone system that fails to meet demand. Several reviews note that staff attitudes range from unhelpful to confrontational, with some patients reporting they were interrogated about medical details or made to feel like an inconvenience. Prescription requests, referral processes, and follow-up care coordination have also been affected by communication breakdowns and delays. While some patients acknowledge the challenges facing healthcare services generally, the consistent pattern of reception difficulties across multiple reviews suggests systemic issues with appointment access, telephone responsiveness, and staff courtesy that require urgent attention to restore patient experience.
Appointment
Reception
Cleanliness
Care
Respect
Seen on time
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Carrie P.
4 years ago
Bad!
Worst medical experience ever terrible healthcare service
Deeply disturbed by the level of care, to the point where I'm embarrassed to even associate these practitioners with my primary healthcare.
Kay W.
4 years ago
Excellent!
Exceptional service with a smile
Exceptionally courteous and highly competent.
Andy L.
4 years ago
Bad!
Worst medical experience ever
Completely unacceptable, shows zero consideration for those seeking medical care
Gemma L.
4 years ago
Bad!
Mixed experience with caring doctors and rude staff
The medical professionals at this practice are compassionate, attentive, and provide outstanding patient care and support. However, the reception staff are a completely different story. They are incredibly discourteous, hostile, and one particular staff member has previously brought me to tears with her harsh demeanor. During a recent attempt to schedule an appointment, I was interrogated and told I couldn't book a slot without first disclosing my medical reason. I'm compelled to ask: are these receptionists formally trained in medical triage? Are they following an established screening protocol? While that would be commendable, based on my interaction, I seriously doubt it. The receptionist persistently demanded I reveal personal medical details, despite my clear reluctance. Only after I reluctantly shared my private information did she suddenly find an available appointment that was supposedly unavailable moments earlier. It's truly disappointing that the unprofessional and insensitive reception team undermines what would otherwise be an excellent NHS service.
The H.
4 years ago
Average!
Mixed feelings about customer support experience
Excellent staff and customer support, though the phone queue wait periods could use some improvement.
Nasmin B.
4 years ago
Bad!
Frustrating wait times make scheduling a nightmare
Scheduling an appointment here is a nightmare. You're forced to phone precisely at 8 and then endure an endless wait. It's completely impractical for anyone with a job, and the whole process has become absurdly inconvenient.
Paul W.
4 years ago
Bad!
Unhelpful and contradictory medical office staff
The front desk staff display a terrible attitude. I called to request a prescription refill and was informed that since COVID restrictions are easing, I needed to come in person to place the order, which I accepted. However, when I then inquired about scheduling a doctor's appointment, I was abruptly told this wasn't possible due to COVID - a direct contradiction of her previous statement. When I pointed this out, she became defensive and continued to argue with me. The receptionists are consistently discourteous and confrontational.
Lady M.
4 years ago
Excellent!
Friendly healthcare with thoughtful covid precautions
Staff are friendly and welcoming. They provide hand sanitizer and masks upon entry. The waiting area is spacious and not congested.
Shaun S.
5 years ago
Bad!
Confusing and unprofessional medical office experience
Unbelievable!!!! As previous reviewers noted, the front desk staff appear to believe they're healthcare experts. Their behavior is discourteous and unprofessional. I initially consulted a receptionist who claimed my test results were pending, but when I called back the following day, I was informed the results had been available for a week and were completely normal. Then, out of the blue, I received an urgent call on the third day demanding I undergo an emergency scan.
Gemma P.
5 years ago
Average!
Exceptional care tarnished by terrible front desk staff
The medical professionals at Parkside, including doctors, nurses, and midwives, have provided exceptional and top-quality care. However, the reception staff are discourteous, confrontational, and far from accommodating. While I recognize that appointment availability can be challenging, basic human decency should prevail, and their unprofessional attitude is unacceptable. These receptionists significantly detract from the otherwise excellent standard of service at the practice.
Pete W.
5 years ago
Bad!
Terrible customer service at medical practice
My mother spent more than 60 minutes attempting to schedule her influenza vaccination, and the receptionist was extremely discourteous, sighing and making dismissive sounds while she was speaking. Their behavior was utterly disrespectful and unprofessional.
Daniel D.
5 years ago
Bad!
Terrible medical service that destroyed my health
The staff at reception are appalling towards patients, offering no assistance and acting like they're medical experts who arrogantly determine whether you deserve to see a doctor. As a taxpayer, I expect them to simply follow instructions. For 7 years, I've been shuttling back and forth regarding my back issues, and they've done absolutely nothing! Now that I've had a scan, their incompetence has resulted in further damage to my spine, with a disc being compromised. I've been completely neglected, and when I attempt to inquire about my scan results, the receptionist shows complete indifference since they weren't responsible for arranging the scan. The arrogant individual at reception deserves harsh condemnation for their unprofessional and callous behavior!!
Irene M.
5 years ago
Excellent!
Smooth and quick flu shot experience today
Kudos to the staff administering flu shots. Their process was impressively smooth and quick. Great job by the entire team.
Shona M.
5 years ago
Bad!
Unprofessional nurse disrespected my motherhood choices
I felt utterly disrespected by the nurse's behavior this evening. When I made a choice regarding my baby's care, I was met with harsh criticism and unwarranted judgment that felt deeply insulting. She essentially implied I was an incompetent mother. While I recognize healthcare professionals offer advice based on their expertise, parents sometimes understand their children's needs better, and professionals can be mistaken. Her approach was aggressive and intrusive regarding my decision. I also requested a weight check for my baby, who was approaching the lower end of the 25th percentile, and was met with complaints about building closure times. Apparently, despite arriving at 6 PM and waiting just a few minutes past the supposed evacuation time, I was an inconvenience. It's frustrating that punctuality seems optional for the staff, yet when I seek essential care for my child, I'm met with sighs and resistance. This level of unprofessionalism is completely unacceptable.
Philip J.
5 years ago
Bad!
Frustrating wait and no appointments available
Scheduling an appointment here is a nightmare. I spent nearly three-quarters of an hour on the phone starting at 8 AM, only to discover that all slots were already taken. It's utterly ridiculous how they seem oblivious to people's schedules and commitments. Do they not understand that individuals have jobs and limited free time? This archaic approach to customer service is completely unacceptable in today's digital age.
Kathryn H.
5 years ago
Excellent!
Exceptional care and compassion from parkside surgery
Since moving to this area just a year ago, finding a GP practice that feels right has been quite a journey of hit and miss. I want to express how fantastic Parkside has been - I joined them right before the pandemic, and despite one minor hiccup, they've been exceptional. The reception team is consistently friendly and supportive. However, my highest praise goes to Dr. Astle. During our first consultation on Monday, he resolved more issues in a single hour than previous doctors managed in weeks. What's more, he made me feel completely at ease and not like an inconvenience. He even proactively sent a physiotherapy link and a reminder about my blood test appointment that I had overlooked. His approach was accompanied by genuine warmth and best wishes. The entire staff were delightful today as well. Absolutely deserving of a 5-star rating!
012* S.
6 years ago
Excellent!
Excellent care at friendly local clinic
Excellent medical practice with top-notch healthcare professionals who provide outstanding service and care.
Fazal K.
6 years ago
Bad!
Worst medical experience ever with terrible doctor
Avoid doctor Aslam at all costs, her mere presence is enough to make you feel sick
Kim C.
6 years ago
Bad!
Worst customer service ever avoid at all costs
The front desk staff display an appalling attitude, and attempting to schedule an appointment is an exercise in frustration. It's virtually impossible to connect with them, and their reservation process is completely dysfunctional.
Ceejae B.
6 years ago
Bad!
Terrible customer service never answering the phone
I've attempted to contact them 8 separate times, and not once have I received a response. The call either endlessly rings or abruptly disconnects. This establishment is absolutely ridiculous.