Rainham Health Centre

Long wait times and poor communication

I would suggest that others become familiar with this general practice, though I must note that my own experience was quite poor.

Reception staff refused to help with booking issues

I would not recommend this GP practice. In my experience, they do not appear to provide adequate support to their patients. The appointment booking system they use seems to have technical issues. I attempted to book appointments on two separate occasions, and while the system indicated they were completed by the practice, I received no follow-up communication by phone or text to confirm the appointments. When I called to inquire about this, the reception staff were unhelpful regarding booking assistance and simply suggested I try using the app again the following day. During these interactions, I found the reception team to be dismissive and unhelpful, and they suggested I consider registering with a different practice if I was dissatisfied with the service.

Receptionists unhelpful with new appointment app

This is the worst health centre I have ever attended. Following a significant change in leadership, the standard of care has deteriorated considerably and I feel patients are not receiving adequate attention. The reception staff come across as unwelcoming and appear to use the introduction of a new digital system as a reason to provide minimal assistance. Additionally, the app itself performs poorly and staff appear to have limited availability throughout the day to respond to patient requests. Obtaining an appointment through this system is extremely challenging, particularly given it is now the primary booking method. I believe the relevant regulatory bodies should investigate this practice and consider whether meaningful improvements can be made to services for patients in the area. If not, I would question whether it should continue operating. I would advise others to consider alternative healthcare providers at this time.

Receptionists unhelpful with basic paperwork requests

I would rate this practice much lower if possible. This has been my worst experience with a general practice. The reception staff appear unprofessional and struggle to handle straightforward tasks such as processing administrative paperwork. Obtaining an appointment is consistently difficult, and the new application-based booking system does not work well for all patients. I believe this practice requires urgent review and consideration of whether management changes or alternative arrangements would better serve patients.

Phone lines constantly difficult to reach

This practice has not met my expectations. I have consistently experienced difficulties when attempting to obtain my medications, and communication has been problematic. On a recent visit to discuss a prescription matter, after a considerable wait, I felt the staff were not prioritising patient needs. The service requires significant improvement.

Struggling to book appointments without phone access

The service has been disappointing overall. I've had limited appointments with the GP over the past few years, though consultations with nursing staff have been adequate for certain matters. A new patient application was introduced, but the initial version had a short lifespan. It seems the reception team may not appreciate that removing telephone access could have consequences for their role. The practice would benefit from reviewing its staffing efficiency. Only a small number of reception staff appear to perform well, and I've noticed other patient feedback suggesting reception interactions could be more pleasant. Perhaps staff satisfaction should be considered if there are ongoing issues. I'm considering raising concerns with the relevant regulatory body, particularly as other local practices appear to be offering face-to-face appointments. The overall value for money feels questionable. It's frustrating that leaving feedback requires selecting the lowest rating option.

Impossible to get an appointment here

Getting assistance from this practice feels nearly impossible. The service provided is extremely disappointing.

Phone lines constantly cut off during calls

The appointment availability is very disappointing, as I needed to see someone but faced a four-week wait for a telephone consultation. Whenever I attempt to contact the surgery by phone, I struggle to reach anyone - I end up spending the entire day trying to get through. For urgent matters, we're instructed to call at 8am, but the line keeps disconnecting. It's unclear what patients are supposed to do in these situations. This has been a persistent issue for quite some time. If ratings allowed, I would give a much lower score.

Phone staff were dismissive and unhelpful

I would rate this practice much lower if possible. Since the change in management, we have been unable to obtain in-person appointments. The telephone manner of the team has been consistently poor and unhelpful. Multiple tests and referrals have not been handled satisfactorily, leaving me with serious concerns about the overall standard of care and whether this practice is meeting its responsibilities.

Waited two weeks with no pediatrician appointment arranged

I attended an appointment a couple of weeks ago regarding my young child, but the healthcare provider was unable to identify the issue, and I received no further guidance. Despite the passage of two weeks, no referral to a specialist has been arranged. I am uncertain where to seek appropriate professional assessment for my child. Additionally, I requested a change to my appointment location due to distance concerns, but this request has remained unaddressed for an extended period. I have found the overall experience to be quite disorganised.

Phone lines impossible to get through on

This has been among the most disappointing practices I have experienced. The telephone lines are difficult to reach. When appointments do occur, consultations feel hurried and I have concerns about the accuracy of the guidance provided. The overall service has been quite unsatisfactory. I am considering transferring to a different surgery.

Doctor didn't call back when promised

I contacted the practice this morning to arrange an appointment for my son, who had developed an infection that was worsening. I visited a local pharmacy in the evening, and they advised me to book a doctor's appointment promptly to prevent further deterioration. I was informed that a prescription would be needed. The pharmacy provided a contact number, and I was told the practice would call me back at a specified time, but this did not happen. I called reception again to request that the doctor contact me regarding the prescription, but I remain uncertain about what action was taken. I have had consistently poor experiences with this practice whenever I have needed appointments. This is the third occasion on which I have faced similar issues—previously when I booked an appointment for myself regarding allergies, I received only telephone consultations and no callback, and similarly when arranging care for my older son who also had allergies affecting different areas, the practice again offered only phone-based consultations without any follow-up contact. I am very dissatisfied with the service provided by this practice.

Receptionists unhelpful, refused face to face appointments

I have had an unsatisfactory experience at this practice. The reception staff came across as unwelcoming and dismissive. The clinician does not offer face-to-face consultations. My spouse developed a visible skin condition on their hand that was deteriorating progressively. We requested an in-person appointment repeatedly over an extended period, but this was not arranged. Instead, we were directed to telephone consultations where we were asked to photograph the affected area and submit images to the practice, which proved to be a lengthy process and did not result in a diagnosis. We believe that an in-person visit would have allowed for a quicker assessment and appropriate treatment. Consequently, we resorted to self-treatment using over-the-counter remedies from a pharmacy. As a patient, I feel let down and undervalued when face-to-face appointments are not made available. I question whether this approach aligns with NHS standards.

Receptionists were dismissive and unhelpful

I would advise against registering with this practice. The reception staff demonstrated discourteous conduct, and there appeared to be instances of discriminatory treatment and preferential handling of certain patients.

Phone lines constantly busy and unhelpful

I have attempted to reach the practice multiple times today without success. When contact has been made, I have found the interactions unhelpful and the manner of staff to be unwelcoming. I feel the service has declined and would prefer to see improvements in how calls are handled and how patients are treated.

Phone lines impossible to get through

The phone lines are difficult to reach, and the practice does not feel professional in its approach. I am planning to switch to a different GP practice. The overall experience has been quite disappointing.

Reception staff made getting basic paperwork difficult

I have lived in various areas across London and accessed NHS services at multiple locations, but I must say this practice falls short of expectations. The reception team appears disorganised and inefficient, with administrative tasks frequently left incomplete. Patients often need to follow up on routine matters such as discharge documentation that should be sent to pharmacies. Appointment availability is extremely limited, with typical waiting times extending to several months. I feel the practice is not adequately serving its patient population, particularly those who are elderly and rely heavily on these services. The practice continues to rely primarily on telephone consultations rather than in-person appointments, whereas other GP services in the area have resumed face-to-face consultations for several months. The clinical staff, particularly those working part-time, do not appear to meet professional standards. I believe this practice requires significant improvement and would rate my experience very poorly.

Slow service and unhelpful reception experience

The service was disappointing, with lengthy wait times and unhelpful interactions with the team.

Reception staff dismissive about lost prescription issue

I have been attending this surgery since 1973. Unfortunately, following staffing changes at the practice, there has been a period without a permanent clinician in place. This situation led me to make the difficult decision to register elsewhere. I was advised by the NHS to ensure my medications were ordered through my current surgery during the transition period. I arranged this through my nominated pharmacy, who confirmed the order was submitted to the surgery on 17 June. When I called the surgery the following week, staff confirmed that my prescription had been sent to my pharmacy on 20 June. After visiting the pharmacy on multiple occasions, I returned on 11 July only to find the prescription had still not arrived. Upon contacting the surgery, I was told by a receptionist that a prescription had been issued, but as I was now an inactive patient, there was nothing they could do if it wasn't at the pharmacy. When I pointed out that the prescription had been processed while I was still an active patient, I received a dismissive and curt response. The receptionist showed little interest in the fact that the pharmacy could confirm both the date the prescription was ordered and that this fell within my period as an active patient. The surgery's subsequent explanation was that they had checked with the pharmacy, who confirmed my previous supply had ended in June. The pharmacy also confirmed to me on 11 July that a prescription request had been submitted on 17 June. The surgery stated they would not issue further medication without a clinical review, though my next scheduled review was not due until January 2023, making my request appropriate. Rather than acknowledging the issue, the surgery offered explanations without verifying when my medication review was actually due. I found the manner in which I was treated to be unprofessional and dismissive, which contrasts sharply with my previous experience at the practice.

Practice hasn't been the same since leadership changed

The quality of care at this practice has declined significantly since the departure of a key clinician.