Townhead Surgery

Receptionist reassured me to keep my appointment

Thank you to the wonderful clinical team and reception staff at Townhead surgery for their support recently. My son had a small wound that appeared to be becoming increasingly inflamed and I felt concerned. I arranged a same-day GP appointment for assessment. However, as the appointment time approached later that morning, the wound showed signs of improvement, so I rang to cancel, mindful of how stretched the practice is with urgent cases. The receptionist, picking up on my parental anxiety through our conversation, kindly reassured me that attending the appointment was still the right choice. I decided to proceed. The GP must have noted my initial uncertainty in my records, and rang me 15 minutes later to check how things were progressing. They assessed the wound over the phone and provided reassurance. A plan was put in place for a follow-up call later that day rather than an in-person visit, to monitor the wound further. Everything resolved well, and these telephone consultations proved to be exactly what was needed as the inflammation subsided. This was an excellent demonstration of efficient, tailored, remote and joined-up care. I'd also like to acknowledge the staff nurse who has been instrumental in keeping my children's vaccination schedule on track, proactively contacting me to arrange the necessary appointments - thank you! I cannot speak highly enough of this practice. It is a compassionate, conscientious surgery that continues to deliver excellent care despite the considerable pressures facing NHS primary care services. Thank you to Townhead.

Clean practice with helpful staff and long waits

I believe the clinicians at this practice are excellent, demonstrating strong expertise and consistently making genuine efforts to assist with any concerns I've raised. The facility itself is well-maintained and hygienic, with adequate seating available. The main challenge I've experienced is the difficulty in securing appointments and occasionally facing lengthy wait times, though I recognise this may be due to the practice's size relative to the expanding local community. On the whole, the team members are courteous and reliable.

Staff listened and eased my worries

I've just attended my yearly review at the local surgery. The healthcare professional I saw demonstrated exceptional compassion and understanding. I have a significant anxiety around needles, and rather than dismissing this concern, they took time to listen carefully and made adjustments to help ease my worries and ensure the appointment went as smoothly as possible. While this might seem like a small matter to others, it represents something quite meaningful to me personally. Their thoughtful approach has genuinely helped me feel more at ease with myself and more positive about future healthcare experiences.

Staff were patient and genuinely understanding

I cannot speak highly enough of the team at this practice. They demonstrate patience, professionalism and genuine warmth when interacting with patients both during visits and over the telephone. I have had frequent contact with them on behalf of a family member and have consistently found them to be accommodating and considerate in their approach.

Pharmacist took time to discuss medication options

I recently had an extended conversation with a member of the pharmacy team regarding my medication, potential side effects, and available alternatives. The discussion was conducted with considerable expertise and genuine sensitivity, proving extremely helpful throughout. I found the conversation to be of the highest standard and am very satisfied with how matters were resolved. The staff member demonstrated exceptional willingness to go the extra mile to provide assistance, which I greatly appreciated.

Helpful staff who went the extra mile

Wonderful experience. The team went above and beyond to provide assistance.

Quick phone queue and same-day care

Called the surgery shortly after 8am on a Friday morning and was second in the queue. The call was answered within 2 minutes. Within 4 hours I had visited the surgery, been assessed by nursing and medical staff, received a prescription for antibiotics, collected my medication from the pharmacy and begun treatment. Throughout the entire process, everyone demonstrated courtesy, warmth and a high standard of professionalism. Excellent service overall. Very impressed with the practice.

Reception made us feel genuinely welcome here

I cannot express enough gratitude to all the staff across both practice locations, from those at the front desk through to the clinical team, for the excellent support and care they have provided to both my partner and myself since we relocated to the area several years ago. It is genuinely reassuring to have access to such dedicated professionals, and it would be wonderful if they received greater recognition and understanding from the patients they serve.

Friendly staff made the appointment process smooth

Extremely supportive, welcoming and efficient care provided. This practice stands out as the finest I have experienced.

Felt truly listened to and cared for

I have received excellent care and support, and I am very grateful to the practice for the outstanding service provided.

Reception delays made prescription wait frustrating

Unfortunately, I had another frustrating experience with the reception team regarding a prescription issue. I was disappointed to be told I would need to wait several days for an alternative arrangement to be made, which seemed like an unreasonable timeframe. I felt the level of service fell short of what I would expect, even comparing it unfavourably to experiences I've had elsewhere. Additionally, I noticed the practice website contains outdated information that doesn't reflect current staffing arrangements.

Reception staff wouldn't listen to my concerns

It is considerably difficult to obtain an appointment at this practice. The reception team appears to follow a rigid protocol that limits their ability to accommodate patient requests for bookings.

Unresponsive emails and long phone queues for appointments

SETTLE PRACTICE: THE GOOD: One GP was very friendly, helpful and caring. Another GP, who was female and of Indian background, was similarly pleasant and went the extra mile to assist patients. The practice nurse demonstrated friendliness, helpfulness, care, consideration and clear competence in their role. THE BAD - and there's plenty: One particular GP was among the worst encountered - very unfriendly, unhelpful, insensitive and uncaring, with a tendency to appear rushed and eager to end consultations quickly, frequently stating they didn't have time for certain tasks. This GP appears to be viewed negatively by many patients. This clinician would benefit from professional development and training in patient interaction and communication delivered with greater sensitivity. Healthcare assistants were perceived as incompetent and unprofessional, with concerns that they were not adequately trained before working with patients. COMMUNICATIONS: The practice's communication systems were poor, with emails frequently going unanswered and lengthy waiting times when calling to book appointments or seek advice. RECEPTIONISTS: Reception staff were sometimes unhelpful, difficult and unfriendly, with interactions often seeming like an inconvenience. They would benefit from additional training in professional and patient-focused communication. APPOINTMENTS: Appointment availability was inconsistent and difficult to arrange, with the impression that reception staff were indifferent to patient needs. MEDICATION REVIEWS: Concerns were raised about pharmacists conducting medication reviews for patients with diagnosed mental health conditions, particularly when these reviews consisted of telephone calls asking about suicidal ideation and medication necessity. This approach was considered inappropriate and inadequate. GPs should retain responsibility and duty of care, rather than delegating such sensitive reviews to pharmacists without mental health training. The patient has since re-registered with a different, more welcoming and professional practice. PRACTICE MANAGER: The practice manager was unhelpful, unfriendly, obstructive and argumentative, and actively hindered registration despite the patient living within the practice boundary. Involvement of the CCG was necessary to resolve this issue.

Medication requests left sitting for weeks

The service at this practice falls short of expectations. While I recognise that staff are busy and resources are stretched, I found it concerning that my medication request took over six working days to process. The practice acknowledged that my request had been received more than a week earlier but the medication had not yet been ordered. For anyone managing ongoing health concerns, delays in medication can be particularly problematic, yet this didn't seem to be treated with appropriate urgency.

Friendly reception made the visit pleasant

Outstanding care and support

Prescription delays made the smoking support pointless

Nearly 4 weeks ago I requested an appointment regarding smoking cessation support. I eventually managed to speak with a helpful staff member and we went through everything thoroughly, with a prescription being submitted. I was supposed to begin treatment on the Saturday of the following week, but the prescription was not ready. It's now Monday and the prescription still hasn't been prepared. I'm feeling quite frustrated about the situation. It seems difficult to arrange face-to-face consultations and equally challenging to receive prescribed items within a reasonable timeframe. The whole process feels increasingly problematic.

Quick appointments and time to ask questions

Having recently relocated to the area, I have been registered with this practice for approximately two years. I have consistently been able to secure appointments promptly, including on two occasions when same-day slots were available. The clinical staff have demonstrated patience and have not appeared hurried during consultations, allowing adequate time for questions to be addressed. The online consultation service has also proven to be effective.

Website closure notice would've saved wasted trips

Travelled to collect a prescription for a family member, spending 40 minutes on the round trip, only to find the surgery closed despite the website indicating it would be open. Upon arrival, knocking on the door went unacknowledged by staff who appeared to be inside. A passing individual mentioned the premises was shut for training purposes, yet there was no notification on the website or displayed on the surgery door itself. During this visit, three other people arrived expecting the surgery to be open, equally unaware of the closure. The lack of communication and acknowledgement felt dismissive and reflected poorly on the standard of service provided. This represents the third occasion on which this surgery has failed to meet expectations. The overall quality of service appears to be declining, which raises concerns about other aspects of their operations. Despite attempting to remain understanding, this latest incident represents another frustrating experience that has wasted time and effort.

Couldn't get through on the phone

I have not had a positive experience at this practice and have decided to switch to a different surgery.

Quick and efficient urgent appointment handling

Despite being scheduled for an urgent appointment, my concern was addressed promptly and effectively by the clinician. This level of responsive care has been consistent throughout my interactions with the practice and its staff since relocating to the area a couple of years ago. I feel fortunate to have access to such a well-run medical practice locally. Thank you.