Saffron Health Partnership

Long waits and circular referrals left me frustrated

I had been unwell for over a week and struggled to secure an appointment or telephone consultation across several consecutive days. Each attempt to reach the surgery involved lengthy waiting times on the phone. I was directed to the pharmacy, who in turn suggested I contact my GP. When I spoke with reception staff, I was advised to call 111 instead. Following this call, 111 arranged for the surgery to contact me early the next morning, but this call never came through. I decided to visit a walk-in centre in hopes of being seen there.

Receptionist dismissed my appointment concerns

The receptionist was unhelpful and dismissive when I enquired about my child's appointment, insisting things be done according to their procedures. It was difficult to get the assistance I required when I needed it. The staff would benefit from additional training.

Couldn't get an appointment after multiple attempts

It is difficult to secure an appointment at this practice, as they frequently direct patients to alternative services. After multiple attempts over several days, this approach proved frustrating. The appointment scheduling system appears to require improvement.

Impossible to reach when you need medication

I would rate this practice lower if possible, as there are numerous concerns with my experience. The surgery appears to contradict guidance received from NHS 111 services. When appointments are unavailable, patients are directed to call 999, which seems inappropriate. I made eight phone calls over a 24-hour period attempting to obtain a prescription for a back-related concern, which was ultimately issued by NHS 111 rather than through the practice itself. On the occasions when I have managed to access clinical consultations, the healthcare professionals have been very supportive and attentive.

Appointment system makes access nearly impossible

I have been a patient at this practice for over four decades. The service quality has declined noticeably following the pandemic, primarily due to difficulties in securing appointments. The appointment system operates on a first-come, first-served basis when lines open in the morning, with slots filling within minutes. When appointments are unavailable, patients are directed to contact an alternative service. On occasions when that service has assessed a patient and recommended a consultation, the practice has not always provided one as suggested, instead redirecting back to the alternative service.

Rude reception staff and cancelled appointment

They deserve below zero. The reception staff were quite rude. The clinical staff seemed lacking in competence, appearing to rely on basic research methods rather than thorough assessment. Additionally, my appointment was cancelled due to arriving just a few minutes late, which felt disproportionate to the minor delay.

Reception staff dismissed urgent post-hospital needs

I have been a patient at this practice for many years. I previously considered transferring to another surgery as I believed I would receive better care elsewhere. I was disappointed to discover that the surgery I had in mind merged with this practice, so I remained under their care. This situation was further complicated by an incident involving the reception staff when I was attempting to obtain login credentials for a family member to access the online patient portal. I felt that the information I was given was inaccurate and that I was made to feel at fault for the confusion. Additionally, following a recent hospital admission for a serious respiratory illness with complications, I required urgent medical attention upon discharge. Despite explaining my circumstances to the reception team and noting that the hospital had classified my case as requiring emergency follow-up care, I was advised to contact the practice the following day as no appointments were available at that time.

Reception chaos makes appointments a struggle

The clinical staff members are making genuine efforts to provide care, however the disorganised management of the practice and the inefficiency of the front desk team is deeply frustrating. Patients are waiting outside in cold weather for extended periods from early morning in order to secure an appointment. This situation is quite disappointing.

Reception staff making inappropriate clinical decisions

I have been a patient at this practice for over three decades. In earlier years, I would have characterised it as acceptable, though somewhat outdated in its approach. The quality has been declining for a considerable period. Following the departure of two particularly valued clinicians, the practice appears to have experienced a significant deterioration. This decline is especially evident in the conduct and demeanour of administrative and support staff. Whilst a small number of staff members continue to demonstrate genuine commitment to their role, the organisation as a whole demonstrates a marked absence of patient-centred care principles. Administrative personnel appear to be involved in making decisions that would typically fall within clinical remit, with potential serious consequences. Documentation regarding these concerns has been escalated to relevant regulatory bodies. The most beneficial outcome for this practice would involve comprehensive organisational restructuring and renewal, incorporating staff recruitment focused on patient welfare and a fundamental shift in institutional values and priorities. I remain sceptical that such meaningful cultural and operational transformation will materialise in the foreseeable future.

Impossible to book appointments by phone

I have consistently struggled to secure an appointment at this practice. Despite calling at opening time each morning, available slots appear to be allocated very quickly. On occasions when I do connect, I am sometimes offered a telephone consultation scheduled several weeks in advance, though the connection quality can be problematic and calls have occasionally been disconnected unexpectedly.

Appointment mix-up ruined my holiday plans

Attended an appointment at the scheduled time only to be informed that the appointment had already taken place the previous week. This is the third occasion this has occurred, and I am confident in my ability to record dates accurately in my calendar. I had specifically returned from holiday to attend this appointment, so I am understandably frustrated by this situation. I would appreciate improved appointment management processes. This issue has also affected a family member on a separate occasion.

Appointments kept and receptionists were pleasant

I have been residing in the area for three years and previously relied on private healthcare due to concerns about receiving adequate care through the NHS. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that I could obtain appointments and access the medical support I required. The practice has been reliable in returning my calls as expected and arranging subsequent consultations to facilitate timely assessment. The reception team has been courteous and I have experienced minimal waiting times during visits. The clinicians I have consulted with have demonstrated competence and professionalism. My only concern relates to the prescription handling process, which has been slower than ideal—it has taken more than two days to receive my medication when I would have preferred to have it available on the day of my appointment. I am uncertain about the cause of this delay, but I believe it would be beneficial if prescriptions were printed and handed directly to patients, allowing them to collect their medicines and use them at their convenience.

Reception gave incorrect information and unhelpful responses

The reception staff came across as unhelpful and provided information that appeared inaccurate. When contact was made, there seemed to be a reluctance to engage, with quick referrals to the out-of-hours service being the preferred option. When that service subsequently referred back, the practice appeared unwilling to take the matter further, instead directing back to the out-of-hours service again. This resulted in a frustrating experience spanning the entire day, moving between services without achieving a resolution. The overall impression was that the practice did not prioritise patient care or welfare. The experience has had a negative impact on wellbeing and caused considerable stress, and the situation has left me feeling unsupported and without access to appropriate care. The standard of service provided has been deeply disappointing.

Can't book appointments without clearing your day

This practice has been a disappointing experience. The appointment system is frustrating, requiring you to call at opening time and potentially block out your entire day without certainty of securing a slot. Even routine screening procedures cannot be booked in advance. The overall service feels poorly managed and inefficient.

Phone callback system made booking straightforward

I wanted to update my previous review from several months ago. Today I contacted the surgery to arrange an appointment and was offered a callback option through the answer service, which I accepted. I received my callback within an hour from a courteous staff member who promptly addressed my query and scheduled me for an appointment later that same day. Upon arriving at the surgery, I was seen relatively quickly by a friendly healthcare professional. The service has noticeably improved. I found it to be a good experience overall, and I was also offered a follow-up appointment a couple of days later.

Mental health team left her feeling worse, not better

My partner has had a difficult experience with this practice, particularly with the mental health services provided there. On multiple occasions after appointments with the mental health team, my partner has felt worse rather than better, and has expressed concern about how she was spoken to during these sessions and how her experiences were handled. The primary role of a mental health service should be to support people through their challenges, not to leave them feeling more distressed. Additionally, my partner has requested documentation for work purposes and experienced significant delays in receiving these, which has added to her stress while her employer has been pressing for the information. These delays have contributed to a worsening of her overall wellbeing. I feel the NHS and this medical centre have fallen short of expectations in providing adequate care and support. I would recommend seeking care elsewhere where patients might feel more valued and receive treatment with greater compassion and understanding.

Difficult to book appointments when you need them

I wonder if the practice leadership realises what barriers patients registered here face when trying to obtain an appointment. The clinical staff may be competent, but this is only beneficial if patients can access them within a reasonable timeframe when they need care.

Couldn't get through after multiple calls

I attempted to book an appointment through multiple phone calls. On each occasion, I found myself waiting in the queue for an extended period without successfully securing an appointment slot. During one of these attempts, I reached a relatively advanced position in the queue before the call disconnected unexpectedly. I am unable to provide a rating for the practice based on my experience, as I have been unable to progress beyond the appointment booking stage.

Booking system chaos left me calling 111 instead

My negative review concerns the system rather than the clinical staff. I had been so anxious about the difficulties mentioned in other reviews that I postponed contacting the practice for several weeks to avoid the early morning rush. Today my chest infection has become considerably worse, and I anticipate needing antibiotics. Eventually a receptionist answered my call at 10.30 am, after an out-of-hours service had contacted the practice to advise that I needed to be seen within 6 hours due to duty of care requirements. I was offered an appointment with a nurse at 3.30 pm. However, I was informed that the automated message I heard this morning stating the surgery had reached capacity at 8.00 am, which had caused my call to be disconnected multiple times and prompted me to contact the out-of-hours service, was apparently incorrect. I felt somewhat criticised for having acted on the recorded message, and no apology was offered. I would encourage others to be aware that messages from this struggling practice may not always be accurate. It is disappointing to see the decline of what was previously a well-functioning surgery.

Reception staff dismissive of patient concerns

It's difficult to know where to start with this practice as the experience has been extremely disappointing overall. There seems little point in leaving feedback as responses are not typically provided. If other surgeries operate in a similar manner, it raises serious concerns about the standard of care available. I would rate this experience far below satisfactory.