Riverside Medical Centre

Frustrating customer service with zero phone support

Attempting to reach someone by phone here is an exercise in pure frustration—practically unattainable!

Frustrating healthcare experience with unhelpful staff

This morning, I endured a lengthy 30-minute phone wait before reaching the surgery's reception. When I requested an appointment, I was interrogated about my medical condition and whether I had visited a pharmacy. I explained to the secretary that pharmacy access was impossible and I'd been attempting home treatments. Clearly having a difficult day, she grilled me about my home remedies, making it evident she considered my condition insufficiently serious to warrant a doctor's consultation. An afternoon appointment was offered, which seemed acceptable. However, within an hour, I received a cancellation message, leaving me feeling dismissed and frustrated. Upon calling back, a different staff member claimed ignorance of any cancellations. Curiously, the original staff member then informed me the doctor had cut his surgery short, forcing me to wait until Monday. It appears some employees become overly presumptuous in their professional roles.

Compassionate support during our most challenging moment

The staff member who assisted us during a challenging moment was truly exceptional. She demonstrated remarkable empathy and provided comforting support. While there is indeed a wait time before your call is picked up, once connected, the interaction is handled with utmost professionalism and care.

Confusing website leads to medical centre mixup

When I search for Riverside Medical Centre on Victoria Road, the initial results show the correct address and contact details. However, clicking through to their website inexplicably redirects me to an entirely different Riverside Medical Centre located in Castleford, West Yorkshire - creating significant confusion and potential communication issues.

Worst medical practice ever terrible customer service

I phoned early today and was left hanging for half an hour, even though I was first in line. When the receptionist finally answered, she greeted me with an audible sigh and proceeded to display the most unhelpful and disinterested demeanor while I attempted to seek guidance about lodging a complaint regarding a nurse who had previously treated me appallingly. I genuinely cannot express how low my opinion of this establishment is. The entire staff seems to radiate a sense that patients are an unwelcome inconvenience. This is absolutely not a medical practice I would ever feel comfortable entrusting with my healthcare needs. I am eagerly anticipating the moment I can transfer my medical records to a different surgery.

Worst medical practice ever avoid at all costs

If I could award no rating, I absolutely would. The level of service is appalling. While the doctors might be competent, actually securing an appointment is nearly impossible due to severely understaffed reception. Attempting to phone results in a minimum wait time of 25 minutes, and I'm certain most people simply abandon their efforts. My advice is crystal clear: steer well clear of this medical practice if you're seeking a reliable GP surgery.

Terrible service that left me completely frustrated

Completely terrible service, impossible to reach anyone, employees are discourteous, and they exclusively offer same-day scheduling.

Frustrating medical practice with zero patient convenience

I've been a loyal patient at Riverside for years, but their service has deteriorated significantly. Their appointment system is incredibly inconvenient, offering only same-day slots that are impractical for full-time workers who can't easily take sudden time off. There's zero flexibility - you can't even request an afternoon appointment and are simply assigned the next available time. Missing the 8am booking window means you'll likely be turned away and told to call back the next day. Even if you manage to call precisely at 8am, you'll endure an absurdly long hold time. The receptionists demand to know your medical reason for visiting, and if you're uncomfortable sharing personal details in a potentially public setting, you're out of luck. This means anyone calling from a shared workspace risks exposing their medical concerns to colleagues. While the medical staff - nurses and some doctors - are genuinely excellent, the overall administrative experience is frustratingly poor.

Disappointing service needs urgent improvement now

It's long overdue for them to restore online scheduling, especially since neighboring clinics have already done so. Attempting to book an appointment by telephone during morning hours is incredibly frustrating. Not all patients require immediate, same-day consultations. Other medical practices in the area also provide weekly updates via newsletter. I am currently exploring alternative healthcare providers with the potential of transferring my medical care.

Smooth sailing with my healthcare provider

Never encountered any issues with the physician.

Great medical care for my whole family

Throughout our time here, which spans roughly nine months, we've experienced nothing but smooth sailing. Whenever my kids or I have fallen ill, the staff has promptly attended to us and effectively addressed our medical needs. It's been an entirely positive experience without any hitches.

Skilled teacher with exceptional learning approach

Highly effective training session. Well-structured and smoothly conducted. Dr Nair outstanding

Compassionate care at its very best

Needed medical care twice in recent months. The staff, including both front desk personnel and healthcare professionals, provided top-notch, high-quality assistance throughout my visits.

Terrible service and communication at this medical practice

The practice manager can be added to the list of unresponsive staff at this medical facility. I penned a letter seeking guidance on scheduling an appointment, something I've been attempting for weeks, yet received no reply. I'd claim this is unexpected, but with this group, it's honestly not surprising at all.

Terrible customer service nightmare at medical center

abysmal customer service called on 08/02/2023 to obtain x-ray results which hadn't been received, was instructed to call back 09/02/2023 at 5pm, ended up stuck on hold for 1 hour 56 minutes and 16 seconds, remaining at number 1 in the queue for 1 hour 36 minutes. completely unacceptable wait time for urgent medical imaging results, discovered online that the medical practice closed at 6pm while i was still waiting in the queue, effectively rendering the entire process futile and frustrating

Terrible gp booking system destroys patient care

Terrible appointment scheduling system. It's now impossible to book GP consultations in advance. Your only hope, if you're fortunate, is to call precisely at 8am, and even then, you might only secure a same-day slot. I'm sorry, but not everyone is a retired senior or unemployed. Many of us have jobs that start before 8am and are prohibited from using mobile phones during work hours. My only option to see a doctor now is to take time off work, call at 8am, and cross my fingers. This booking method was introduced when COVID first emerged. However, COVID happened years ago. While it's still present, most sectors have moved on - employers, retailers, and even hospitals have lifted restrictions. This practice used to offer excellent appointment services but remains trapped in a COVID-era mindset, with a booking system that completely disregards working professionals. Absolutely unacceptable.

Negligent doctor fails vulnerable patient completely

Aging patient suffering from multiple health issues—urinary tract infection, fractured hip, leg inflammation, and unaddressed cardiac irregularities—made repeated attempts to schedule a medical consultation, yet the physician remained consistently unavailable. My suspicion is that the doctor maintains a limited practice schedule.

Terrible service and unresponsive admin staff nightmare

The staff at this medical practice are a complete disappointment, with one shining exception - a compassionate nurse who had to compensate for her colleagues' incompetence. Their phone system has been broken for years, which even the admin team acknowledges. When I needed a follow-up appointment after a hospital visit, I endured a 45-minute phone call that ended with them hanging up on me. Frustrated, I visited in person, only to be ignored for 10 minutes at the front counter. After asking a dispensary worker about the situation, I was assured someone would assist me soon. When another staff member emerged, I inquired about their complaints procedure. She dismissively suggested checking the website but ultimately scheduled my appointment. While the nurse was kind and helpful, the overall administrative team demonstrates a shocking level of unprofessionalism that is truly unacceptable and embarrassing for a healthcare provider.

Decent service with some booking challenges

My experience has been relatively satisfactory. Initially, when I first signed up six months ago, booking an appointment was straightforward. However, there have been instances where I've had to visit the surgery in person to secure an appointment due to constantly engaged phone lines. Now, an automated system informs callers about queue status and wait times. I typically only contact the practice when I'm genuinely ill and unable to work. While I've previously used the 111 service, I recognize that GPs have a fundamental care responsibility that 111 cannot fully address. The medical staff I've encountered have been supportive, offering prompt treatments and advice. I hope the surgery continues to work on enhancing its processes to ensure all patients receive equitable and consistent care.

Frustrating experience with unhelpful medical staff

Getting a consultation here is a nightmare - scheduling is nearly impossible. The front desk staff are incredibly unhelpful and act like you're being a nuisance when trying to book an appointment. They seem to go out of their way to avoid actually setting up a time for you to be seen. The medical professionals themselves appear competent, but actually accessing their care is an exercise in frustration!!