The Central Surgery Barton

Impossible to get through on the phone

Attempted to secure an appointment for a deteriorating health concern. Made numerous phone calls over a two-day period without success. Despite persistent efforts to reach the practice, was unable to obtain an appointment. Found this experience extremely frustrating.

Phone advisor couldn't help with urgent query

Called about a pressing concern and found that the staff member handling the inquiry was unfamiliar with the procedures, requiring them to seek guidance before responding. I was subsequently informed that I would be unable to speak with a clinician or receive assistance, as the urgent care service indicated they only manage specific types of cases and suggested I would need to pursue other options independently.

Receptionist blocks callbacks for sensitive issues

I typically request a callback from a clinician when my issue isn't time-sensitive, and this usually works well. However, I've noticed a pattern where this doesn't happen when I indicate to the receptionist that my concern is of a personal nature and that I'd prefer not to discuss the details with them. Following this statement, there's often a delay before being told that all available callback slots are fully booked. This pattern seems unusual to me, and I would welcome clarification from the practice about how these situations are handled.

Prescription not ready despite promises made

Disappointing experience at this practice. I was assured that a prescription would be prepared for collection. I arrived to pick it up on Friday afternoon at the requested time and was informed it wasn't ready, being told to return on Monday as it required verification by a clinician who had prepared it. I expressed that I was willing to wait, despite the surgery appearing quiet with available staff present to authorise it. Following my assertion of my concerns, I was subsequently described as having been threatening and intimidating. I have since received correspondence from the NHS indicating the practice has made a report, resulting in restrictions on where I can receive care and conditions placed on future registration elsewhere. I find this response to raising concerns about my treatment to be unreasonable. I am currently pursuing this matter through appropriate channels and relevant organisations. I would encourage others to formally document any complaints they have with this practice and to escalate concerns through proper procedures.

Couldn't book appointment after long phone wait

After making multiple attempts to reach the practice, the phone line was consistently busy before finally being able to join the queue. Following a 40-minute wait, I was informed that I would need to call back the following day to arrange an appointment. While I recognise the practice faces considerable pressure, it seems frustrating that once contact has been established, it is not possible to book an appointment in advance rather than requiring another call back.

Phone lines impossible to get through on

I have been attempting to contact the surgery repeatedly over a four-day period. Despite numerous attempts, I have only managed to reach someone twice. On both occasions, after waiting on hold for approximately half an hour, I was informed that no appointments were available. During one call on a Thursday morning, I was assured that someone would contact me to follow up. However, by Thursday evening, that promised call had not materialised. It appears extremely difficult to access care at this practice. This experience has been very disappointing.

Phone lines constantly engaged and frustrating waits

I attempted to contact the practice by phone over a two-day period but consistently encountered engaged lines. I visited in person early in the morning to collect a prescription, but was asked to return later in the afternoon. Upon my return visit, I experienced another significant wait. Unfortunately, the prescription could not be located at that time. The overall experience was quite frustrating.

Impossible to book appointments by phone

Over the past few months, I have struggled to secure any appointments. While I receive text and email reminders to book, attempting to call proves extremely difficult as the line is consistently busy. Previously I would at least reach a queue message, but now I simply encounter a busy tone with no option to speak with anyone or join a queue. The practice has had longstanding issues that appear to have worsened significantly. I find the current situation deeply frustrating and feel the service falls well short of acceptable standards.

Booking system makes appointments unnecessarily difficult

The clinical staff are perfectly competent, however the appointment scheduling process is quite problematic. The practice requires patients to telephone during a narrow morning window between 8-10am, but the phone lines appear to become unavailable before this period ends, making it extremely difficult to connect. While it is possible to reach someone by calling in the evening, they simply advise ringing back during morning hours instead. The online booking option is similarly unhelpful, as responses merely redirect patients to telephone during the designated morning slot. This system creates a bottleneck where numerous patients attempt to call simultaneously at 8am without success. This situation is deeply frustrating and prevents timely resolution of health concerns, resulting in unnecessary delays to receiving care.

Text questionnaire didn't assess much at all

I received a text message today requesting that I complete a questionnaire to help evaluate my overall health status, given that I hadn't visited the practice for some time due to circumstances similar to many others during the pandemic. I chose to participate as I felt it could potentially provide useful insights into my wellbeing. However, I found that the questionnaire only contained questions regarding my height and weight, which left me questioning whether this constituted a comprehensive health assessment.

Quick response to urgent ear problem

Woke up with ear discomfort and submitted an online consultation request. I received a callback within a couple of hours and was asked to attend the surgery for an examination by the urgent care team. I was seen promptly and my issue was resolved. Excellent service.

Dismissed my concerns without proper investigation

Unfortunately, the approach here differs from what one might expect from a more traditional practice where practitioners develop familiarity with their patients. Everything tends to be dismissed as fine with no further steps taken, regardless of the circumstances. This is frustrating when there appears to be a genuine concern that warrants investigation.

Quick and efficient vaccination appointment

I received my vaccination recently. The staff were exceptionally organised and the process was remarkably quick and seamless. Excellent work to the entire team!

Efficient registration process despite busy times

We have recently joined as new patients and I must say the team were extremely efficient in completing the registration process, even with the demands of managing other concurrent healthcare initiatives.

Friendly staff and appointments running on time

I'm surprised by the number of negative reviews for this practice. My own experience has consistently been positive. The team members are courteous and welcoming, and during my visit, the appointment ran to schedule and the healthcare professional provided excellent care.

Felt listened to and well cared for

The practice has consistently provided outstanding care and support from every team member.

New patient welcomed with attentive care

I am new to this Surgery and new to the village. The village is a delightful place. The Surgery has been very good to me, in particular the clinician who has looked after me very well.

Hard to plan ahead with same-day phone booking only

The appointment booking system requires calling on the day you wish to be seen, with no option to reserve a slot in advance. This approach means that routine enquiries must compete with same-day urgent cases for availability, creating a challenging situation as the phone lines are consistently congested. Additionally, this arrangement makes it difficult to plan ahead, and if unsuccessful in securing an appointment, the entire process must be repeated the next day. The practicality of this system is questionable for patient convenience.

Impossible phone lines and dismissive staff

What was once a highly regarded practice has unfortunately become the most disappointing I have experienced. It required numerous attempts spanning nearly an hour to successfully book an appointment, only to be directed to the pharmacy and informed that alternative practices are available in the area before the call was ended. I had simply expressed concern that service standards appeared to be declining. I felt the interaction demonstrated the very issues I had raised, along with what I perceived as discourteous treatment. I would recommend that others in the locality consider exploring other available options.

Long waits to book appointments on the phone

Securing an appointment involves lengthy telephone waiting periods starting at 8am, with frequent outcomes of being informed that all slots are unavailable. Advance booking options are not available. The alternative approach involves attending the surgery in person at 8am to attempt obtaining an appointment. The current appointment system represents a decline from previous years when telephone advance booking was an option. It seems counterintuitive that individuals who are unwell need to wait outside the surgery to pursue an appointment. Similarly, it is unclear why scheduling appointments in advance for non-urgent concerns is not permitted. It raises questions about whether this approach is standard across other practices.