Patient Experience Summary

Feedback reveals a deeply divided patient experience at this practice, with appointment access emerging as the most consistent concern. The same-day booking policy and difficulty reaching reception create significant barriers, with patients reporting extended waiting periods and inability to schedule consultations in advance. Reception experience varies markedly across reviews, with some patients praising courteous and helpful staff while others describe dismissive, discourteous, and unhelpful interactions that lack empathy and professionalism.

When patients successfully access clinical care, medical and nursing staff generally receive positive feedback for compassion, attentiveness, and professional competence. However, this positive clinical experience is frequently overshadowed by frustration with the booking system and reception interactions. Several patients report long waiting times despite scheduled appointments, and some describe feeling abandoned when unable to reach the practice by phone or email.

The stark contrast between positive comments about clinical care quality and negative feedback about access and reception suggests systemic issues with appointment availability and front-desk responsiveness rather than clinical capability. Patients consistently identify the appointment booking process and reception experience as barriers to accessing the medical care they describe as otherwise satisfactory.

Appointment

18.75 %
Bad

Reception

28.50 %
Bad

Cleanliness

55.00 %
Average

Care

45.30 %
Poor

Respect

25.80 %
Bad

Seen on time

22.40 %
Bad

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GC

Gaby C. Google 3 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Terrible service and misleading promises

Think twice before committing to their service

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DC

Damian C. Google 3 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Terrible service from uncaring and dismissive receptionists

The front desk staff display an appalling lack of empathy, consistently demonstrating either total disinterest or outright discourtesy. They ought to feel deeply embarrassed, though it seems unlikely they even care. Do they fail to comprehend that the individuals calling are actual human beings, not mere statistics, who may be experiencing significant distress? Their behavior is utterly disgraceful.

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KL

Kevin L. Google 3 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Frustrating healthcare system fails patients miserably

The entire medical system is dysfunctional, resembling a random draw where getting an appointment is purely by chance—it's utterly ridiculous.

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MH

Marek H. Google 3 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Terrible experience with outdated and unprofessional medical care

Absolutely dreadful surgical experience. The front desk staff lack basic courtesy, and the physicians are perpetually unavailable despite having a minimal patient load. It's like being transported back to medieval medical practices in this supposedly modern era. Completely unacceptable!!!!!!!!!!!

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JS

Joanna S. Google 3 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Worst medical practice ever terrible patient care

This practice is absolutely abysmal, and I'm struggling to articulate my frustrations. 1. Securing a daytime consultation by phone is practically impossible. 2. Attempting to reach reception around 8:30 requires an absurd number of redial attempts - approximately 150 calls. By 8:40, all appointments have mysteriously vanished. 3. The reception staff are consistently discourteous, seeming as though they're serving a punitive sentence. Obtaining any meaningful assistance is futile; their sole response is the repetitive directive to "call tomorrow at 8:30" (which, predictably, yields no available slots). 4. I've attempted to schedule appointments for my infant three separate times, yet never successfully secured a physician consultation. Each attempt was met with the standard "no appointments" dismissal. Ultimately, I was compelled to seek emergency department treatment for an issue that should have been managed by a general practitioner. Steer clear at all costs. Superior healthcare alternatives exist in Lancing.

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TH

Tracy H. Google 4 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Terrible healthcare service leaving patients without medical help

I'm constantly frustrated by the impossibility of reaching reception. There's no point even attempting to queue. My mother, diagnosed with dementia in 2020, hasn't consulted a physician since then. While everywhere else has resumed normal operations post-pandemic, why are doctors still so inaccessible? Yesterday, the receptionist instructed me to call in the morning to schedule a phone consultation for my mum. GREAT advice, if only one could actually get through... It's absolutely disgraceful.

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WS

Willow S. Google 4 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Terrible mental health care that completely failed me

I struggle with mental health issues, and the staff here completely disregard my concerns! Their sole focus is pushing talk therapy without considering alternative approaches. When I clearly communicate that my medication isn't effective, they become confrontational, even raising their voices aggressively during phone calls while I'm emotionally distraught. The way this medical practice treats patients is absolutely appalling. The reception staff are equally dismissive, making patients feel utterly insignificant and unimportant. I sincerely hope the Care Quality Commission thoroughly investigates their unprofessional conduct!

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RK

Ryan K. Google 4 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Terrible healthcare experience at local medical practice

Absolutely the most appalling medical practice in West Sussex. The reception staff should seriously consider resigning - I'd be mortified to be associated with such a workplace. Securing a GP appointment is practically impossible. You'll waste countless hours on hold, only to be informed that no consultations are available. The doctors, particularly Dr. Mendez, treat patients with utter contempt and disrespect. The receptionists are shockingly discourteous, and the doctors conveniently use them as a shield. My strong advice: find a different medical practice immediately!

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CA

Carolina A. Google 4 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Worst support ever, avoid at all costs

Abysmal customer support. Truly terrible.

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GW

Geoff W. Google 4 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Terrible healthcare service leaves patients feeling frustrated

The medical staff at this practice are completely out of touch, constantly avoiding direct patient interaction by using their receptionist as a shield. I'm thoroughly frustrated by the endless cycle of phone calls required just to secure a basic appointment. Rather than providing proper medical consultations, they seem content to offer superficial photo-based assessments. It appears they're exploiting COVID-19 as a convenient justification for delivering substandard healthcare. Communication is virtually impossible - they're unresponsive to emails and phone calls alike, leaving patients feeling completely abandoned and neglected.

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PK

Paige K. Google 4 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Terrible service and unhelpful staff avoid this practice

1. Scheduling an appointment on the same day is practically impossible 2. Advance booking of appointments is not an option 3. Without fail, every single receptionist I interact with is discourteous and dismissive Fortunately, I have two alternative medical practices I'll be transferring my care to.

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CB

Charlie B. Google 4 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Worst healthcare experience ever for chronic patients

Completely worthless for individuals battling ongoing pain and mental health challenges. Zero support provided - impossible to track or document medication details. They've essentially forced me into an impossible situation, making me decide between addressing my psychological well-being or managing my physical discomfort.

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AK

Amir K. Google 5 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Terrible product avoid at all costs

Don't buy this product 👎

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GC

George C. Google 5 years ago

Rating

Excellent!

Challenging start but ultimately helpful healthcare experience

Initially, I encountered a challenging interaction with the front desk staff, though upon further consideration, my frustration might have stemmed more from the difficulty of scheduling an appointment rather than the receptionist's actual conduct. Despite this initial hurdle, once I secured a consultation, the medical team proved to be exceptionally attentive and comprehensive in addressing my health concerns.

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BO

Ben O. Google 5 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Dangerous doctor puts patients at serious risk

This surgical experience was far from satisfactory. Dr. Mendes appears to be a potential medical risk. When it comes to your personal well-being, I strongly advise against gambling with this particular medical facility.

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CC

Claire C. Google 5 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Terrible healthcare service with no patient compassion

Unbelievable! My mother is a patient here, though I don't reside locally. For eight weeks, the surgery has completely failed to address her critical health issues, and she hasn't even been examined, instead getting progressively worse. While other healthcare providers nationwide are seeing patients promptly, this practice is still hiding behind "COVID" excuses. Today, I encountered an utterly robotic receptionist with zero compassion and no understanding of her professional responsibilities within the NHS. Regardless of what happens next, I'm absolutely filing a formal complaint with both the practice manager and the Clinical Commissioning Group. Where I live, receptionists are courteous and helpful, and I've never experienced such blatant disregard. I'm well aware - having worked in the ambulance service - that a family member expressing concern does not violate data protection rules. This staff member desperately needs training in data protection, professional conduct, basic manners, and interpersonal communication. Absolutely appalling!

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TL

Tracy L. Google 6 years ago

Rating

Excellent!

Compassionate care and understanding from dr mendez

Another fantastic visit with Dr. Mendez today, continuing my streak of excellent appointments. He consistently delivers great results, and I'm particularly impressed by his compassionate approach towards my family member with special needs. The front desk team, especially Jo, remains exceptionally courteous and supportive every single time.

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SC

Sandie C. Google 7 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Terrible management ruins what could be good service

The frontline staff were decent, but the management representatives were absolutely terrible. An error occurred with my appointment. While I was frustrated, I recognize that mistakes can happen, but their approach to resolving the issue was the real problem. They offered no apology, and the assistant manager was patronizing, more focused on the fact that I raised my voice—a reaction directly caused by her unprofessional behavior and attitude. I was suffering from severe pain and had not slept, yet they displayed zero compassion or understanding for my condition. As a professional who always treats others with respect, the service I received was shockingly poor. Zero tolerance should be a two-way street. In contrast, the doctor was exceptional—genuinely sympathetic and clearly understood the emotional toll of my intense pain.

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JW

Janet W. Google 7 years ago

Rating

Great!

Great experience with helpful team

Welcoming employees and excellent customer assistance

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CJ

Catherine J. Google 7 years ago

Rating

Bad!

Unprofessional staff ruin healthcare experience for my family

The front desk staff provide an abysmal first impression for this medical practice. As the initial point of contact, they display a distinct lack of warmth and compassion. During my children's immunization appointment, the nursing staff were unprofessionally gossiping about their colleagues, which was completely inappropriate. The overall standard of interpersonal conduct falls far below what one would expect in a healthcare setting.

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Respond to patient reviews

Monitor satisfaction trends

Generate CQC evidence reports

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Trusted by GP practices across the UK
Practice Response Rate
0.00%

Shows how often this practice responds to patient reviews and feedback.

About the GP

  • Accepts all feedback, both positive and negative.

Contact Information

  • 01903 875900
  • The Orchard Surgery Penstone Park Lancing West Sussex BN15 9AG

Patient Experience Summary

Feedback reveals a deeply divided patient experience at this practice, with appointment access emerging as the most consistent concern. The same-day booking policy and difficulty reaching reception create significant barriers, with patients reporting extended waiting periods and inability to schedule consultations in advance. Reception experience varies markedly across reviews, with some patients praising courteous and helpful staff while others describe dismissive, discourteous, and unhelpful interactions that lack empathy and professionalism.

When patients successfully access clinical care, medical and nursing staff generally receive positive feedback for compassion, attentiveness, and professional competence. However, this positive clinical experience is frequently overshadowed by frustration with the booking system and reception interactions. Several patients report long waiting times despite scheduled appointments, and some describe feeling abandoned when unable to reach the practice by phone or email.

The stark contrast between positive comments about clinical care quality and negative feedback about access and reception suggests systemic issues with appointment availability and front-desk responsiveness rather than clinical capability. Patients consistently identify the appointment booking process and reception experience as barriers to accessing the medical care they describe as otherwise satisfactory.

Appointment

18.75 %
Bad

Reception

28.50 %
Bad

Cleanliness

55.00 %
Average

Care

45.30 %
Poor

Respect

25.80 %
Bad

Seen on time

22.40 %
Bad
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