The Roxton Practice

Impossible to get through on the phone

It appears extremely difficult to reach the practice by telephone as the lines are perpetually engaged. If anyone is successfully obtaining a doctor's appointment, it would be remarkable, as there seems to be no viable way of securing one. The practice would benefit from having dedicated phone lines for each of their locations, rather than a shared system.

Phone lines impossible to get through on

I would rate this practice far below average if I could. I have found my experience to be very disappointing. I have been attempting to secure an appointment for more than a week, and reaching the practice by phone has proven extremely difficult. When I have managed to contact my GP, the availability is limited, with appointments only offered on the day rather than in advance. This system feels impractical. In my time as a patient, I have noticed inconsistency in the quality of care received, with some consultations feeling more thorough than others. I have been registered here for a considerable time, but I am considering transferring to another practice. Several people I know have expressed similar frustrations about the difficulty in accessing appointments and reaching staff members. I have submitted complaints regarding my experiences, but I have not seen satisfactory resolution. I believe the practice would benefit from significant changes to its management and operations. Based on my own experience and feedback from others, I would suggest that those able to do so might consider registering elsewhere. The appointment system and accessibility have been a considerable source of frustration throughout my time as a patient.

Practice has lost my samples and ignored concerns

If I could give negative stars I would. I have experienced what I believe to be misdiagnosis. I have felt ignored repeatedly. Important diagnoses were communicated to me in ways I felt were inaccurate, and I have subsequently remained without appropriate treatment for an extended period. Medication levels were reduced unintentionally, and when I requested they be restored, this was refused. I was made to feel accused of substance dependency whilst attempting to address the consequences of these errors. Despite having a complex medical condition requiring specialist management, no one has taken sufficient time to understand my needs over many years. Samples I have provided have gone missing, blood tests have been incomplete and required repetition on multiple occasions. I was declined a routine screening procedure despite it being overdue. A referral I requested on personal health grounds was refused, and my interactions with administrative staff have been deeply frustrating. These staff members have come across as dismissive, condescending and unhelpful. They appear to lack appropriate training to make clinical decisions about whether appointments are necessary, yet they act with unwarranted authority. I have felt disrespected and argued with to the point where I experienced significant emotional distress and stopped seeking help. The current appointment system feels impersonal and ineffective, considerably worse than what existed previously. Looking at other feedback, I am clearly not alone in this experience. This practice was once excellent with compassionate clinicians where patients felt genuinely heard and valued. The current system is not working. Your patients recognise this, yet concerns are dismissed and ignored repeatedly. The community would benefit from alternative provision. The parking arrangements also warrant mention. The entrance and exit situation is problematic, whilst staff benefit from a largely underutilised car park that could resolve these issues for patients. On a positive note, several nursing and support staff have been excellent, as have a small number of clinical staff and reception team members, though these individuals are regrettably few. I have been with this practice for many years, and standards have declined significantly. I would recommend exploring alternative provision if possible. I take no satisfaction in providing this feedback. I am confident my experience is shared by others. I have attempted to discuss these concerns directly and have been met with resistance repeatedly. We deserve better.

Telephone team made booking straightforward and easy

No practice is perfect, and it's difficult to generalise about experiences. There is considerable excellent work being carried out by largely dedicated and caring professionals. The telephone team has been wonderful for us, the pharmacy team has been excellent, the nursing staff have been outstanding, and the clinical staff member we saw has been fantastic. Thank you.

Reception staff were dismissive and unhelpful

Ineffective. Unwelcoming. Dismissive. Uncooperative.

Friendly staff made me feel welcome

The clinician at this practice is excellent. I have great respect for all the staff members at this surgery.

Phone lines constantly busy and impossible to book

I have experienced significant difficulties when attempting to contact the practice by telephone. The lines are consistently busy, and I have been unable to get through despite multiple attempts. When I have managed to call after 9 in the morning, I have had to wait for extended periods without success in reaching someone to book an appointment. Visiting in person has not resolved the issue either, as I have been directed to call instead. However, the instruction to call before 9 becomes problematic when the phone lines are unavailable and the online booking system is not functioning properly. This creates a frustrating situation where it feels impossible to access an appointment through any available method. The overall service experience has been disappointing, and I feel that the practice's approach lacks consideration for patients' circumstances and needs.

Impossible to book an appointment here

This service at the clinic requires significant improvement. The appointment system needs to be more accessible, with better availability to meet patient needs.

Friendly receptionists who actually listen to you

An excellent medical practice where I have consistently been able to access appointments when required for legitimate healthcare concerns. The reception team demonstrates warmth and responsiveness, and all clinical staff members I have encountered have been attentive, engaged, and provided appropriate support for both my own care and that of my family members.

Phone queue delays and confusing availability information

Attempted to use the online appointment system early in the morning but found it unavailable. After successfully reaching the practice by telephone later that morning, I was informed the surgery would be closing earlier than expected. This conflicted with the online system displaying availability for later in the day. Additionally, I was advised that the clinician I had requested could not see me until several days later, even though the scheduling system indicated they had slots available sooner. The discrepancy between what the availability display showed and what was actually possible to book was frustrating and confusing.

Getting through to this practice is nearly impossible

It has become extremely difficult to get in touch with this practice. Obtaining an appointment feels nearly impossible, and the systems in place seem ineffective. When I attempted to contact the practice, the line closed after a short time, and phoning to book an appointment proved unsuccessful. Walk-in services are no longer offered, which raises questions about availability. The practice was considerably better in the past, but standards appear to have declined significantly. It is unclear why access remains so limited, particularly given the current circumstances.

Website booking made the appointment easy

My first visit to this practice for a preventative vaccination went extremely well from start to finish. The nursing staff member was very helpful, knowledgeable and professional throughout the appointment. The website is very good and I was able to make all the arrangements with no difficulty. As someone who sometimes finds these things challenging, I found this experience very encouraging.

Booking system blocks afternoon appointment requests

The appointment booking system is not functioning adequately for my needs. I am unable to secure appointments for my children through the online portal as it does not accept new requests after 9am for local consultations. This limitation with the service is concerning and frustrating.

Unreliable system with constantly changing prescription rules

The service has been disappointing overall. The system appears to frequently be unavailable and lacks user-friendliness. It is unreliable, particularly regarding staff availability—despite being told it is possible to request specific staff members on particular days, this rarely seems to happen in practice. The prescription ordering process has been problematic. The advance notice requirements appear to change regularly, with the most recent instance taking considerably longer than expected to process. Additionally, there have been changes to how prescriptions are handled and where they are dispensed from, which has added to the confusion. Most frustratingly, a recent verbal confirmation was given regarding a medication that should have been included in the latest delivery, but it has not yet arrived.

First visit went smoothly and felt understood

My first visit to the surgery was excellent. The clinical staff member was very good, efficient and understanding. Thank you, kind regards.

Reception staff unhelpful with language barrier

I found this experience deeply unsatisfactory. Due to language barriers, I visited in person to arrange an appointment. The receptionist showed little willingness to assist me. I was instructed to telephone instead, with an offer that a translator could be arranged for a phone conversation. When I called from home, the same person answered but was unwilling to help further, suggesting I ring back at another time. I chose not to pursue this further and have decided to seek care elsewhere. This was very disappointing. Healthcare access is a serious matter and should be treated accordingly.

Practice failed to contact about urgent test results

This practice feels extremely disappointing. I had blood tests completed and was informed that I would receive a telephone call once the results were available, at which point I should arrange an appointment to discuss them directly. After waiting two weeks without hearing anything, I followed up and discovered the results had come back and a prescription had already been prepared that needed to be started immediately, yet no one had made contact with me. I requested to book an appointment as instructed, but was told to use the online system and contact my GP through that method. I did exactly that the following day as requested and received a response from the administrative team indicating that appointments were unavailable and I would need to try again the following week through the same system, with no guarantee of securing an appointment with the GP who had asked me to book one. When I pointed out that I had already attempted this approach without success, the request was simply marked as resolved without any further action or explanation. It appears the practice prioritises administrative processes over patient wellbeing. They are efficient at producing letters when there is a fee involved, but seem far less motivated when it comes to supporting patients who are trying to take responsibility for their own healthcare.

Online booking system making things worse

I've been waiting for my appointment and have noticed quite a few people departing the surgery seeming unhappy with their visit. The overall experience appears to have declined since the shift towards online services.

Practice kept closed most of the time

The practice appears to have limited availability, with restricted opening hours that make it difficult to access appointments.

Prescription processing takes far too long

This practice has significant issues with their prescription processing times, which can take well over a week to complete. When prescriptions are eventually processed, the quantities provided appear insufficient for the required dosage regimen. The delays in handling repeat prescriptions are concerning, particularly when the medication is essential for ongoing health management.