Rainham Health Centre

Receptionist hung up after lengthy phone wait

The reception team's service was disappointing. After waiting nearly three hours on hold, when someone finally answered, the call was disconnected without explanation. This experience was frustrating and has made accessing healthcare services feel like a difficult process.

Helpful receptionist got me quick appointment

The reception staff member was extremely accommodating. I contacted the practice on Monday regarding a medication that required approval. An appointment was arranged for Wednesday to discuss the prescription, and it was authorised during that same visit. Excellent experience, much appreciated.

Practice prioritises patient numbers over individual care

The practice appears to prioritize expanding its patient list over providing adequate care for existing patients, seemingly driven by financial incentives rather than patient welfare.

Long waits and no appointments available

I have had a disappointing experience with this practice. I am surprised that despite the low ratings, there appears to be no improvement. The main issues I encountered were difficulty obtaining appointments, lengthy call waiting times, and delays in receiving test result updates. This has made it challenging to access the care I need. I would not recommend this practice based on my experience.

Reception staff were dismissive when I raised concerns

I would like to raise a concern about my recent experience with two members of the reception team at your GP practice. I discovered that I had been registered at this practice without my knowledge or consent, and no verification of my identity or address was requested during this process. When I contacted the practice to discuss this matter, I found the interaction with the reception staff to be unhelpful and distressing. Rather than listening to my concerns or attempting to understand the situation, they became dismissive and raised their voices. The staff indicated that they were unwilling to assist, citing that they do not work with patients they perceive as difficult, and suggested the matter was not a priority for them. This approach felt unprofessional and left me feeling uncomfortable and upset. When seeking healthcare support, patients should expect to be treated with courtesy and respect, not met with hostility. Everyone deserves to have their concerns heard and addressed with kindness, particularly when health matters are involved. I would appreciate it if you could review this matter to ensure that other patients do not encounter similar difficulties when contacting your practice.

Poor communication and no follow-up notification

I visited the practice requesting a blood test form, which I needed urgently as a patient with a chronic condition. The reception staff indicated I would receive documentation by post within a few days and was told there was no need to return until notified. However, I did not receive any written correspondence or telephone call to inform me that my form was ready for collection. There appeared to be a significant lack of communication between the practice and patients regarding the status of requests. When I contacted the practice several days later to follow up, I discovered the form had actually been completed and available for some time. This raised concerns about how patients are expected to know when to collect important documents without any proactive notification from the practice. I understand the practice has been undergoing management changes, though I have not observed any visible transition in staffing or new management presence. Given the investment that patients and taxpayers make in NHS services, I would expect better coordination and patient communication. It seems concerning that despite complaints being raised, there has been no noticeable improvement in service delivery. I would hope the NHS monitors practices like this one more carefully to ensure standards are maintained.

Phone lines difficult to reach at this surgery

Unhelpful staff Difficult to reach by telephone Require in-person visits for basic inquiries This practice does not appear to meet community needs effectively, as evidenced by feedback from other patients. Would rate lower if possible

Promised callback never arrived from clinic

How does this clinic operate? We attended on two occasions, made phone calls, and completed registration, but the expected callback from the clinician never materialised. I was seeking information regarding blood tests conducted at the hospital, however I did not receive the results and the clinician did not contact me as anticipated. The approach towards patients felt dismissive. There appears to be insufficient support available for those in need.

Reception staff didn't listen to my concerns

I have attempted to contact them on multiple occasions, and despite being prioritised in the queue, my calls do not seem to receive appropriate attention. During my visits to the reception desk, I have felt that my concerns were not properly heard, and the staff appeared dismissive. This experience left me feeling quite helpless and frustrated with the level of service I received.

Receptionist rushed me while booking appointment

Disappointing service experience. I attempted to book an appointment for my daughter at the reception desk, but found the staff member to be hurried and spoke in an overly loud manner. Appointment availability is limited, and those that are offered tend to be conducted by telephone only. Even when an appointment is secured, the consultation felt rushed and I did not feel adequately heard during the visit. I question the value for money given the level of service received, and have considered whether private healthcare might provide a better standard of care.

Long phone queues and unhelpful staff attitude

This practice has been disappointing. The staff came across as dismissive and unprofessional, and getting through by phone proved extremely difficult. I was placed on hold and given a queue number, but waited well over 15 minutes without any progress. It seemed unlikely that a single call could reasonably take that long. My overall wait extended to 40 minutes with no resolution. I'm uncertain whether anyone associated with this medical centre takes notice of patient feedback like this.

Queuing at doors just to get a phone call

The reception team and insufficient staffing levels are creating substantial obstacles to obtaining care, which raises questions about the quality of healthcare provision. It would be beneficial for the practice to undergo an urgent inspection—potentially including temporary closure—by the relevant regulatory body to conduct a comprehensive evaluation. At present, the sole method of booking an appointment requires patients to physically attend the surgery at opening time, yet appointments offered are limited to telephone-based consultations. This approach appears inefficient, places undue strain on personnel, and appears to fall short of fundamental expectations regarding accessibility and the standard of patient care.

Impossible to book an appointment by phone

The practice is consistently difficult to reach by telephone and scheduling appointments presents ongoing challenges.

Phone lines difficult to reach and appointments unreliable

0 stars. This practice is extremely disappointing for the local area. Phone access involves substantial waiting times, and my partner's scheduled phone consultation (arranged several weeks prior) resulted in what appeared to be a very brief ring that was difficult to answer. After spending considerable time calling back to request a rescheduled appointment within the allocated time window, the receptionist indicated the appointment had been removed from the list, with the next available slot being ten days away. Alternatively, we were offered an early morning slot the following day, though we were informed there could be no certainty of being seen due to staffing constraints. Given our background in healthcare, we feel compelled to escalate our concerns through appropriate channels. We would strongly advise others to consider alternative providers. We are transferring to a different practice immediately.

Communication and support have become disappointing here

I have consistently tried to be understanding of the pressures faced by staff at this practice. However, following two recent appointments, I feel compelled to share that my experience has been significantly below expectations. My family and I have been registered here for many years, yet the quality of communication, service delivery and patient support has noticeably declined. This applies across all appointment types, whether conducted in-person, by telephone, or during home visits. I would hesitate to recommend this practice to others considering joining in this area. The approach to patient interaction, professional manner and overall standard of care have been consistently disappointing. The service appears to meet only the most basic requirements, such as returning telephone calls. I would encourage prospective patients to explore alternatives elsewhere, as my family is actively considering relocating our care due to concerns across multiple aspects of the practice, including reception services and the level of attention given to patient needs.

Rushed appointment with confusing name display system

The staff came across as unfriendly. I felt hurried during my appointment and was told there was a strict time limit, yet afterwards I experienced a considerable wait. Additionally, the check-in process seemed poorly designed as it relies on a display screen to notify patients rather than having someone announce names, making it easy to miss your turn if you're not watching the screen closely.

Rushed appointment with poor communication and announcement system

I felt rushed during my appointment for an ear issue and was not informed about how to notify staff of my arrival, which resulted in a 35-minute wait before the appointment was cancelled without a thorough review of my condition. The appointment itself felt hurried, and I was left needing to return for further assessment as there were limited alternatives available. I believe the practice would benefit from addressing the following areas: 1. The system for notifying patients when it is their turn to be seen could be improved, as it may be inconvenient for those waiting to understand when they are expected to proceed. 2. Appointments could benefit from being conducted at a more measured pace to ensure nothing is overlooked during consultations. 3. The display system used to announce when patients should attend their appointment has visibility and audibility limitations that may make it difficult for some patients, particularly older individuals, to notice when their turn has arrived.

Hard to book appointments, long waits

It is challenging to secure an appointment at this practice, and when one becomes available, there is often a considerable wait. Additionally, medication was discontinued at the pharmacy without a prior consultation with a clinician.

Receptionist wouldn't let me finish explaining

I contacted the practice to arrange an appointment with the pharmacy following receipt of two text messages. However, the receptionist informed me that an appointment with a clinician was already scheduled, though she was uncertain about the reason or who had created it. I attempted to clarify that I had personally booked a separate appointment for an unrelated matter, but the receptionist did not allow me to finish explaining. She placed me on hold and, despite my repeated attempts to elaborate, continued to reiterate the same point. When I tried to emphasise that these were two different appointments, she responded by suggesting I was being demanding. Throughout the conversation, she spoke over me repeatedly and prevented me from completing my explanation. I felt I was unable to articulate my concerns properly, and she continued to interrupt and assert her position rather than listen to what I was trying to communicate. I found this interaction frustrating. When reception staff do not permit patients to fully express themselves and explain their situation, it becomes difficult for the practice to provide appropriate assistance. Speaking over a patient and not allowing them to complete their thoughts does not reflect professional communication standards.

Receptionists were unhelpful and phone booking difficult

The practice was slow in responding to my inquiries, and I found the front desk staff to be unwelcoming. I experienced difficulty arranging appointments through telephone contact and felt the overall service was not as helpful as I would have hoped. These concerns led me to seek care elsewhere.