Rainham Health Centre

Reception staff were dismissive and spoke over me

If it were possible to give no stars, I would. I have been registered with this practice since January and have had minimal contact with them due to challenges in securing appointments. However, over the past couple of days, my interactions have been quite difficult. I have rarely experienced such discourteous communication, and I left feeling diminished, disheartened, and exasperated due to my encounters with the reception team. My difficulties started with one team member whose manner was unkind and who provided inaccurate information that sent me in the wrong direction. When I returned for a second visit, I spoke with another receptionist who appeared unwilling to listen to my concerns and made me feel as though my account was not credible, which felt dismissive and condescending. Both interactions involved being talked over, and it seems clear that additional training in compassionate communication would be beneficial for the team.

Staff were dismissive and unhelpful throughout

The staff members were quite dismissive and unhelpful during my visit. I would recommend considering other options if possible. This was an extremely disappointing experience for me.

Appointment booking system needs urgent improvement

The appointment scheduling system and overall process are extremely frustrating and cause considerable difficulty for patients in this area.

Long phone queues delay vital medication requests

This is a zero star rating, not one. The recent management changes have made no meaningful difference, as the service remains equally problematic. I continue to experience rejections of essential prescriptions and struggle to reach the surgery by phone, as I find myself far back in the queue with calls progressing extremely slowly. I am concerned that this practice's apparent lack of responsiveness and priority given to patient care could potentially lead to serious consequences for someone in the future.

Frustrating to book multiple appointments at once

Regrettably unable to give a lower rating. The back-and-forth visits to this practice stem from difficulties in scheduling multiple appointments simultaneously. When attending for routine family health checks, it would be beneficial to coordinate bookings for both attendees at the same time, even if appointments fall on separate dates. This could have been arranged during my initial call two weeks prior. Obtaining certain preventative medications from this practice proves unnecessarily complicated. The inconsistency of seeing different clinicians at each visit compounds this issue and creates challenges for continuity of care. It becomes difficult to receive consistent support and achieve health improvements when different practitioners are seen repeatedly for the same ongoing concerns.

Communication barriers make this practice difficult to reach

I rarely leave Google Map reviews unless they deserve five stars, but I find myself agreeing with the other one-star assessments. Communication with this practice is extremely difficult to establish. My elderly relative is registered here but lacks internet access and has been unable to reach the practice by phone. When I attempted to contact them on their behalf, I was unable to speak with anyone who could assist. I sent a written letter through the post, which received no response. I then sent a second letter via recorded delivery. A receptionist subsequently called to indicate that someone would follow up, but this did not happen. While I understand the NHS faces significant pressures, the level of service provided has been disappointing.

App booking system needs urgent improvement

Poor service experience. I have been attempting to secure an appointment via the online platform for an extended period without success. When contacting by phone, available slots appear extremely limited. The practice indicates they will return calls but this has not happened. Very disappointing overall.

App booking window too narrow to use practically

This practice does not appear to be well-suited for patients requiring accessible care. The appointment booking system presents significant challenges, as there is no option to book by telephone or in person at the surgery. Instead, all bookings must be made through their online application, which operates on an extremely limited schedule. The application is only available during very brief windows each weekday: a couple of minutes on most days, with slightly longer availability on Friday mornings. This means that by the time many patients manage to open the application, the booking window has already closed. Patients are given only a narrow timeframe to access the app, complete the necessary form, and submit a request for a telephone consultation with the practice. For those seeking reliable and convenient access to healthcare services, exploring alternative GP practices may be advisable, or considering support from pharmacy services or NHS 111 instead.

Reception staff attitude needs urgent improvement

Are there any positive reviews for this practice? I searched online for this Health Centre because it was conveniently located and I was hoping to access care for someone I know, but ultimately chose not to proceed. The reception team's apparent lack of professionalism was a significant concern that influenced this decision. The standard of service experienced raises questions about how the practice continues to operate. It seems difficult to understand how staff providing such a limited level of service remain in their positions. Management: it would be beneficial to implement closer oversight of your team to improve the quality of care and support provided to patients.

Difficult to reach by phone at reception

There are frequently difficulties reaching the practice by telephone, and when visiting in person, it becomes apparent that incoming calls are not being answered as consistently as would be expected.

Reception staff were helpful and welcoming

My partner and I were extremely impressed and delighted with the consultations we received. The clinician we saw was very pleasant and helpful, demonstrating not only excellent medical knowledge but also genuine human warmth and compassion. They showed themselves to be highly intelligent and well-informed, keeping up to date with current practice. My partner felt this was by far the best medical care they have experienced. The kindness and professionalism displayed throughout was truly appreciated. We would also like to commend the reception team, who were consistently nice and helpful. We received outstanding service throughout and are very grateful. Thank you ❤️

Staff helped me through recovery well

Excellent team! Really took care and looked after me following my surgery. Helped with medical documentation and scheduling appointments and other administrative matters. The staff member I saw especially provided wonderful support, and their colleagues are equally excellent.

Impossible to reach by telephone

Nobody picks up when you call. I'd recommend finding a different practice as this one isn't worth the trouble.

Struggling to book without the app

I support someone who lacks access to digital devices for downloading applications. When I attempt to secure an appointment through my own app and the online portal during the allocated booking window, the option does not become available. I have also tried contacting the surgery by telephone, but have experienced either continuous engagement or no response to my calls. This has been an extremely frustrating experience.

Frustrating phone waits and app pressure tactics

I would rate this lower if possible, but that is the minimum available. This is my second attempt to obtain my test results by telephone. The first time, the automated system was unsuccessful, and now I have spent 40 minutes on hold waiting to speak to someone. It appears the practice is primarily directing patients towards using their online application instead, which has discouraged me from calling further. The service I received was disappointing and felt dismissive.

App booking system needs improvement badly

The practice has declined since a particular staff member's departure. The appointment booking system via the app is problematic and doesn't function well. It's unusual for a surgery to lack telephone booking options while maintaining administrative staff. I'm considering finding alternative care elsewhere.

Booked face to face but offered phone instead

This has been the worst general practice experience I have had. From my initial visit, I encountered difficulties. On multiple occasions, I booked face-to-face appointments only to be contacted and told that slots were unavailable, with a telephone consultation offered instead. This would not have been necessary if I had wanted a remote appointment in the first place. Additionally, I have consistently experienced significant delays during visits, with appointments regularly running over thirty minutes late. The explanation provided regarding other patients running behind schedule did not seem credible to me, particularly given that late arrivals to appointments result in cancellation. Furthermore, I attended the practice on two separate occasions within a three to four week period reporting that I was unwell, and was advised that my symptoms were nothing serious and likely just a common cold. However, I was admitted to hospital the following day, where I was diagnosed with an infection requiring antibiotic treatment. I feel the practice lacks professionalism overall. I have decided to transfer to a different provider and would recommend others to seek alternative care elsewhere. This is not something I typically do, but I felt compelled to share this experience.

Reception staff made booking unnecessarily difficult

This practice has experienced a noticeable decline in quality. Certain members of the front desk team appear to create unnecessary obstacles. The recently introduced appointment system has been poorly implemented. I was notified by text message about an appointment that had already commenced. Additionally, I lack confidence in the clinical staff. The practice would benefit from having a consistent, permanent clinician and abandoning the current digital booking platform. It is disappointing to witness the practice being run in this manner.

Reception staff were dismissive and unhelpful

I found this to be an extremely disappointing experience. The reception team displayed behaviour that I felt was disrespectful and inefficient. I have concerns about the professionalism demonstrated during interactions, including comments that appeared dismissive of patient welfare. I also have concerns regarding potential data handling issues that I believe warrant review. The overall management and conduct of the practice fell significantly short of the standards I would expect from an NHS service. There were instances where I felt the approach was confrontational rather than supportive. I experienced frustration with the need to make repeated contact regarding ongoing matters that could have been resolved more effectively during initial visits.

Reception queue felt unnecessarily long and slow

I felt this practice was not well organised. In my view, the team appeared to lack adequate training and support. I observed what I considered to be inefficiencies in how the practice operated. The staffing structure seemed imbalanced, with what appeared to be limited clinical presence compared to administrative roles. I would suggest considering alternative healthcare providers in the area, as there are other options available locally. I wish everyone well.