Sudbury & Alperton Medical Centre

Impossible to get through on the phone

This practice has been extremely difficult to access. I have been attempting to secure an appointment by phone since early morning, and despite trying repeatedly over several days, I have been unable to get through. The waiting times and availability appear to be significant issues. I would recommend considering alternative healthcare providers if accessibility is a priority for you.

Reception staff were dismissive and rude

I would rate this surgery very poorly. This has been one of my most negative experiences at a medical practice. I found the reception staff to be unprofessional and felt their manner of communication with patients was disrespectful. I have serious concerns about the standard of service provided at this facility.

Long phone queue, vague callback time given

I have been a long-time resident of this area and recall when this surgery provided a good standard of care. The clinical staff and reception team were previously approachable and supportive. However, the area has experienced significant residential development in recent years, which has understandably increased demand on the practice. While I recognise the broader pressures facing the NHS, the quality of service I experienced fell short of acceptable standards. I had not attended an appointment for some considerable time before requiring urgent care. When I called at the start of the appointment booking window, I was placed in a queue and waited approximately twenty minutes to speak with reception staff. After explaining my situation, I was not offered a specific appointment slot. Instead, I was informed that a clinician would contact me, though no specific time was provided. When I asked for clarification, I was told the call would come sometime before three o'clock. I remained available throughout the afternoon while at work, but no call arrived. Upon returning home later that evening, I discovered a voicemail message left at approximately six o'clock, which had been missed while I was resting. The tone of the message suggested the missed call was somehow my responsibility. This experience was frustrating, and I now face the prospect of repeating the entire process to obtain care. On a previous occasion, I had attempted to visit the surgery in person to request an appointment and was informed that walk-in consultations were not available and that I would need to telephone instead. Overall, the service provided fell well short of what I would expect, with little apparent effort invested by staff. It is disappointing to provide a negative review, particularly for an NHS service, but potential patients deserve to understand the current standard of care at this practice.

Responsive clinic that follows up well

Despite some of the negative feedback I've seen, my own experience at the practice has been positive overall. The team has consistently addressed my inquiries and checked in on my progress when needed. I haven't encountered any issues with the reception staff or clinical team.

Quick registration and appointment sorted same day

Very good service from the reception team who helped us with our registration and also provided us with an appointment promptly. Thank you very much. We appreciate the quick and efficient service.

Nurse diagnosis caused unnecessary weekend worry

Absolutely shocking!!! A member of staff suggested to my mother before the weekend that she may have a particular condition and advised her to wait to see a doctor on Monday. What a worry for my mother!! As I work in a healthcare setting I was able to reassure her. Luckily my assessment proved correct.

Reception staff were dismissive and unhelpful throughout

I had a very disappointing experience with the service provided. The staff were not courteous or respectful in their interactions, and conversations felt rushed without proper closure. I found it necessary to contact the practice multiple times, which was frustrating given the circumstances. I experienced a significant delay in obtaining a prescription that was prepared early in the week. Despite the urgency of my situation and the discomfort I was experiencing, there was no apparent effort to expedite the process before the weekend. This delay caused me considerable distress. I was particularly troubled by an interaction with a member of the reception team. Their manner was dismissive and lacked empathy, which left me feeling upset and disrespected. I am concerned about how such interactions might affect other patients, particularly those who may already be vulnerable or dealing with mental health challenges. The overall experience has been quite upsetting for me.

Couldn't book an appointment anywhere

This practice has significant difficulties with appointment availability, with no openings appearing to be accessible. I would recommend considering alternative healthcare providers in the area.

Receptionists won't listen and appointments are impossible

I have found this surgery to be extremely disappointing. The experience with reception staff, management, and clinical staff has been consistently poor. Accessing appointments is very difficult, and the reception team's approach to patient interactions has been unwelcoming and dismissive. Additionally, the practice continues to restrict face-to-face consultations. The surgery was notably better in previous years when it had different staff members, but standards have declined significantly since their departure. The practice appears to prioritize certain services, with frequent contact regarding preventative health campaigns, which raises questions about priorities. The overall experience raises serious concerns about whether this practice is meeting patient safety and care standards adequately.

Quick response when it really matters

Excellent handling of urgent situations with prompt attention to timing and scheduling.

Friendly reception made the visit pleasant

Excellent experience

Staff were helpful and attentive throughout

Excellent experience with the entire team at the practice.

Friendly staff and much improved service

The service has improved significantly from how it used to be. The team demonstrates a notably friendly and welcoming approach to their work. The positive changes are much appreciated. Thank you to everyone involved. Please continue with these improvements.

Phone reception could be more welcoming

I contacted the surgery to arrange an appointment for a family member and found the person who answered the phone to be quite curt in their manner. The interaction fell short of what I would expect from good customer service.

Reception staff unhelpful except for one kind person

A disappointing experience overall. One member of the reception team stood out as genuinely helpful and considerate, while the rest of the staff seemed disorganised and appeared disengaged with their work. The clinical staff did not appear to listen attentively during consultations, frequently interrupting and not allowing patients to fully express their concerns. There were instances where information provided seemed inconsistent with what I understood about my medical history and previous care, which I felt was due to incomplete record-keeping. The service fell short of expectations, and I would consider alternative healthcare providers if other options were conveniently available.

Frustrated by lack of online appointment availability

I am very disappointed with how the practice is currently operating. I remember when this surgery had an excellent reputation in the area, but standards appear to have declined significantly. I am concerned that some of my elderly relatives have not been able to see a clinician for considerable periods. The appointment system is frustrating. There are never any online booking slots available, and when issues arise, there is no callback system in place. Instead, all patients are directed to call at 8:30 in the morning, which creates an overwhelming volume of calls for the small reception team to handle. Even for straightforward enquiries, patients face lengthy waiting times in a queue. This approach does not seem like an effective way to run a healthcare service. If the practice intends to offer online booking services, these should be implemented properly and comprehensively. Both telephone consultations and in-person appointments should be available to book through the online system. Otherwise, offering an online service in name only seems pointless and fails to meet patient needs.

Waiting nearly two hours just to book appointment

Disappointing! I find it difficult to express how dissatisfied I am with this practice. When the broader circumstances are already challenging, attempting to arrange an appointment adds unnecessary frustration and takes up considerable time! On my first attempt, I arrived when the surgery opened at 9am hoping to book a consultation for my health concern. I was informed that walk-in bookings were not permitted, as it would be inequitable to those making telephone enquiries. I was instructed to ring from 08:30 the following day. On my second attempt, I called at 08:30, and after listening to the recorded message, I discovered I was number 15 in the telephone queue. After waiting 50 minutes, I finally reached the front of the queue. A further 10 minutes passed before my call was answered, only to be placed on hold immediately. I then waited an additional 37 minutes while on hold! I would have been interested to discover how much longer the hold would have lasted, but regrettably after 1 hour 37 minutes and 21 seconds, my call was terminated. I made another attempt to contact the reception team to explain what had occurred and enquire about the disconnection while I was on hold. The response I received was that they had been busy. This represents a significant disappointment in terms of service quality.

Felt unheard and dismissed by the practice

I am very disappointed with the level of care received. It appears that there was insufficient effort made to provide assistance, and I felt that concerns were not taken seriously. I intend to lodge a formal complaint about my experience.

Reception staff repeatedly dismissive and unhelpful

I would rate this practice extremely poorly. The reception team's approach has been consistently problematic. I noticed concerns from my initial registration, when the online system was unavailable and paper forms had run out, requiring me to document my family's information on alternative paper. This continued when a family member who was unwell and had difficulty speaking was spoken to in an unhelpful manner by reception staff. My relative contacted the practice multiple times seeking guidance about their health concerns, only to receive a call from reception attributing the issue to miscommunication between practice locations. No appointment was arranged, and my family member subsequently required hospital attendance and emergency care for their condition. My most recent experience has been particularly frustrating: The receptionist answered my call with an unhelpful tone, interrupting me while I was introducing myself and explaining my situation, then later asking for the information they had failed to listen to initially. I had called regarding a specific matter but was not permitted to fully explain it. The receptionist checked the system and dismissed my enquiry without addressing what I had raised. A medication request that should have been processed two weeks prior was only then being documented. When I later called to ask about a delay with a prescription that had not been sent for collection, the call was terminated before I could discuss my actual concern, which related to recent test results. This represents a pattern of similar issues, including previous medication prescription errors and calls being ended without my concerns being properly heard. I have not had the opportunity to meet with clinical staff, as appointments are rarely successfully arranged. While the clinical team may be competent, there was previously an issue with a medication prescription that required pharmacy intervention and took several weeks to resolve. I would advise prospective patients to consider this carefully. To the practice management, reception staff are patients' first point of contact and significantly influence perceptions of the service. When initial interactions are negative, it undermines confidence in the healthcare provided and discourages people from seeking appropriate community care, potentially leading to unnecessary emergency department attendance.

Couldn't get through on the phone

Not a satisfactory experience at this practice.