Saffron Health Partnership

Booking appointments nearly impossible here

I would advise against choosing this practice. Registering my family and myself here proved to be a poor decision. Over a two-year period, I was only able to secure a single appointment for my child and one for myself, with all other booking attempts being unsuccessful. When appointments were eventually obtained, they were extremely brief and the standard of care provided fell well short of expectations. As someone working in a healthcare profession who strives to deliver excellent patient care, I found the treatment received here to be considerably lacking. Recently, I attempted to convert a face-to-face appointment to a telephone consultation. During this request, I experienced what I perceived as dismissive and disrespectful communication from reception staff, who appeared unwilling to assist and made me feel undervalued. This interaction was deeply upsetting, and despite assurances that the matter would be resolved, I did not receive the expected call for my appointment the next day. It felt as though the staff simply wanted to end the conversation rather than genuinely help. Having waited an extended period for this appointment, I view this as a significant failure in duty of care. It appears the practice may be indifferent to losing patients, as my family and I have now decided to leave.

Repeatedly given wrong information about appointments

I would rate this experience extremely poorly. If alternative registration is available, I would recommend exploring that option. I have repeatedly received inaccurate information. On multiple occasions, I was advised that my prescription had been submitted, only to discover later that it had not been processed by the practice. Securing an appointment presents significant difficulties. I was informed on several occasions that I had a confirmed appointment, but upon arrival was told no such appointment existed in their system. Additionally, despite receiving an emergency referral appointment through NHS 111 that was marked as urgent, the practice declined to see me, citing capacity constraints.

Phone queue system needs rethinking

I recognise that the practice operates under significant capacity constraints with limited clinic availability in the area, but I feel the appointment booking process is unnecessarily complicated. The requirement to call at 8AM and wait on hold for extended periods, only to be informed that slots are unavailable and to retry the following day, is frustrating. I would prefer the option to book appointments further in advance, even with a longer waiting period, so I could manage my own schedule accordingly. However, I do appreciate that routine appointments for minor checks such as blood pressure monitoring or follow-up assessments are arranged automatically without requiring me to initiate contact.

Impossible to book appointments when you need them

This practice has experienced a significant decline in service quality. Obtaining an appointment is extremely difficult regardless of timing. Booking appointments several weeks in advance results in fully booked slots, and attempting to secure same-day appointments through phone or online systems proves nearly impossible. When I called, I was informed I would be added to an urgent list with a potential appointment that day or the following day. However, I later received a message stating no appointments were available and directing me to call 111 instead. For patients with ongoing health concerns that fall outside the scope of 111 services, accessing care from their regular practice becomes problematic. The situation feels as though it could seriously compromise patient health outcomes. Public health campaigns emphasise the importance of early diagnosis for serious conditions and encourage people to consult their GP, yet the appointment system makes this practically unachievable. The practice appears to prioritise financial considerations over patient welfare. Based on my previous experience working within the NHS, I understand how these services should function, and this practice falls well short of acceptable standards.

Couldn't get through on the phone queue

Extremely disappointing experience with the booking process. I waited over an hour attempting to schedule an appointment without any progress in the queue. It was unclear whether anyone was actually responding to incoming calls. Would not recommend.

Couldn't get an appointment for a year

This has been an extremely frustrating experience at this GP surgery. I have struggled significantly to secure an appointment over the past year without success. Due to the difficulty in accessing care, I have felt compelled to seek private healthcare as an alternative.

Communication breakdown left me chasing results

Extremely frustrated with the lack of coordination within the practice. Initially informed that my results were available, then subsequently contacted to be told it was my responsibility to follow up with the hospital regarding their whereabouts. The hospital confirmed they had already sent them but couldn't locate them, leaving me to contact the hospital again requesting they resend. This is particularly frustrating given I already have a scheduled appointment with the doctor to discuss these results. The disorganisation feels absurd given the seriousness of the situation. I have now been waiting eight weeks for this matter to be resolved.

Appointment booking system makes access nearly impossible

Extremely disappointing. The way the surgery is run is very poor. Things have deteriorated since the pandemic, particularly with the removal of online appointment booking, which makes accessing appointments considerably more difficult. The telephone system for booking consistently shows busy signals with no apparent queuing system in place. Based on my experience, the clinical staff here rank among the least satisfactory I have encountered across multiple practices. The management of this facility needs to be made aware of just how problematic the patient experience has become.

Phone queues make appointments impossible to book

This practice has been a disappointing experience. The reception staff have sometimes come across as unwelcoming, and getting through by phone proves extremely challenging. When calls do connect after lengthy waits of over an hour, the responses tend to be unhelpful and dismissive. I would encourage others to explore alternative options, or only attend if they are prepared for what feels like an uncaring approach and inefficient use of time. Having reviewed other feedback about this practice, I have noticed what appears to be a consistent pattern in the comments. The critical reviews tend to receive multiple endorsements and lower ratings, while the positive feedback often seems inconsistent with the experiences described elsewhere. I would suggest reading through the various opinions carefully to form your own assessment of the service quality. If it were possible to rate lower than one star, I would do so.

Impossible to book an appointment here

A disappointing experience overall. Obtaining an appointment proved to be extremely difficult. The reception staff interaction was unpleasant.

Phone queues make appointments impossible

1 star for inadequate service. The telephone system is problematic at 8am. The process for obtaining a doctor's appointment requires improvement and should not continue to rely on pandemic-related explanations. Despite multiple locations within the practice, I was unable to secure a doctor's appointment for my young child. The surgery should invest in modernisation, reduce dependence on telephone appointments, and prioritise seeing patients who require urgent care. On several occasions, calls have been disconnected while I have been on hold for extended periods. After taking my child to the pharmacy where it was suggested antibiotics might be needed, I contacted the surgery but faced significant waiting times, which felt frustrating.

Phone system needs urgent improvement

The telephone system really needs improvement - it's incredibly frustrating. Please consider upgrading to match modern standards that other practices have already implemented.

Receptionist cut me off without listening properly

I'm new to this practice and felt disappointed by my experience. During my initial contact, the reception staff member wasn't particularly sympathetic and seemed dismissive of my concerns. The call was ended abruptly before I had finished explaining my situation. I had mentioned that calling at standard appointment times wasn't feasible for me and that I required assistance, but this didn't appear to be properly acknowledged. I subsequently contacted an alternative healthcare service who were far more attentive and understanding of my needs.

Staff go the extra mile to help patients

I believe the entire team at this practice is excellent because they make a genuine effort to support patients, and I think many people don't fully recognise this. I imagine the daily pressures they face must be considerable, and it's all in service of helping those who come through the door. We're fortunate to have access to the NHS, which is something many other countries don't have. It's important to acknowledge this privilege and remain patient when trying to reach the practice by phone. Rather than becoming frustrated while waiting, there are plenty of things you can do to pass the time - getting ready for the day, having breakfast, taking care of personal tasks - and eventually you will get through to someone.

Reception staff were quite rude

Impolite.

Responsive practice with helpful telephone triage

Excellent medical facility with a pleasant team. I have consistently been able to access appointments when required, or alternatively received telephone consultations to assess my needs.

Phone queue wait times are frustrating

A review covering three main concerns. The receptionist who handles initial calls has a particularly unhelpful telephone manner, and unfortunately there is no way to bypass speaking with them and providing your personal information. It seems inconsistent that calls to the vaccination line are answered promptly within a couple of rings, yet when you have what might be a more urgent health concern, you can find yourself waiting on hold for extended periods with no certainty they will eventually pick up. Even if you do manage to get through, there is no guarantee that suitable appointment slots will be available. Additionally, it is frustrating that appointments with doctors appear difficult to obtain. It is unclear what the reasons might be for the apparent lack of availability. Overall, the current situation feels quite unsatisfactory.

Felt listened to and unhurried during appointment

I cannot fault this practice in any way. Having recently registered here, I have found the prescription service to be consistently reliable. The website provides helpful resources for making enquiries. I attended an appointment today and the clinician was exceptional, taking their time and making me feel genuinely heard. I am very pleased with my decision to select this practice for my family's healthcare needs. Thank you.

Receptionist was polite and helpful throughout

I recently contacted the surgery by phone and was greeted by a courteous receptionist. Following this initial contact, I received a message and was offered an appointment at the practice. From arrival through to departure, my experience was excellent and the care I received was of a high standard. I am grateful to all members of the team for their assistance.

Reception staff weren't honest about appointment availability

I contacted the practice during standard opening hours regarding my young daughter who was experiencing a swollen infected eye. The receptionist informed me that all appointments were fully booked and suggested I visit a pharmacy instead. When I explained that I had already consulted a pharmacist who had recommended a doctor's assessment, I was told the practice remained at capacity and advised to contact 111. After requesting to speak with the practice manager, I received the same response about full capacity and the 111 referral. I waited on hold with 111 for approximately half an hour without receiving a response, so I called the practice again. This time, a duty clinician became available and agreed to see my daughter. Upon arriving at the practice in the late afternoon, there was minimal waiting and the reception area appeared largely unoccupied. I felt the initial information about appointment availability did not align with what I observed when we attended. I have rated this experience two stars primarily because my daughter was ultimately seen and received appropriate treatment, however I believe a young child should not require persistent advocacy to access local medical care. While the clinical care provided has consistently been satisfactory, I have concerns about the accuracy of information given regarding appointment availability and would value greater transparency in these communications.