Village Health Group East Leake

Difficult to book appointments by phone

Unable to get an appointment with a doctor. Phone consultations are challenging and obtaining any kind of appointment proves difficult due to lengthy waiting times on the telephone.

Impossible to book appointments through phone queue

I have found the appointment booking process to be extremely frustrating. I have been attempting to arrange an appointment for my daughter for over a week without success. The only contact I have been able to make is through the pre-recorded automated voicemail system, which has been disappointing. Based on other reviews I have read, this seems to be a recurring issue, typically followed by a standard response suggesting you contact the practice directly. However, this creates a circular problem, as calling back results in either the automated system or being advised to try again during quieter periods. Given the practice's overall rating, I find it surprising that the service maintains its current patient base.

Quick phone booking and efficient appointment

Given all the negative coverage about GP availability these days, I was pleasantly surprised by the service I received today. I called in the morning and was seen within a couple of hours, with the whole visit completed and medication in hand by late morning. The clinical care I received was excellent and couldn't have been improved. I don't visit my GP often, but I was genuinely impressed with how smoothly everything went on this occasion.

Phone queue didn't take concerns seriously

I had a very poor experience when I contacted the practice regarding concerns with my medication. I felt that my worries were not taken seriously or given proper attention. I am concerned that this approach to patient concerns could have serious consequences.

Friendly receptionists made the whole experience smooth

I wanted to share a positive experience because I think it's important to acknowledge when GP practices do things well. This practice has welcoming reception staff, which I've found to be quite rare. They arranged a same-day telephone consultation with a clinician for what might typically be considered a routine matter, and they were genuinely pleasant to interact with. I called at 8:15, received a call back at 9:50 and had an in-person appointment at 11:30. They also managed to sort out my prescription needs, including dealing with an unrelated one. The clinician was genuinely kind and demonstrated genuine interest in addressing my concerns. I also appreciate that this practice offers advance booking options. Many surgeries operate on a first-come-first-served basis where you need to ring early in the morning and hope for availability that day, which simply isn't practical for most people's schedules. Thank you for providing a reliable service. I hope this standard can be maintained going forward.

Staff were helpful and attentive

The team here is excellent and very professional.

Phone queues make booking appointments nearly impossible

I have found the service to be extremely disappointing. Since July, I have been attempting to secure an appointment without success. The phone lines are frequently unavailable or I experience lengthy wait times, on one occasion exceeding 45 minutes. When I do manage to connect, the available slots have typically been filled, and I am instructed to ring back at 7.30 the following morning. When I have tried to discuss my situation, I have felt dismissed or received responses that felt dismissive about how the booking system operates. I have since arranged a private appointment, though I have subsequently required hospital care. I believe this is not an isolated experience, and I consider the overall service to be poorly managed.

Reception staff made appointment booking unnecessarily difficult

The clinical staff at this practice are competent, however accessing appointments through reception has proven to be consistently challenging. My family and I have been patients here for a considerable time and have repeatedly experienced what we perceive as discourteous and dismissive behaviour from the reception team. There appears to be an assumption among some reception staff that they possess medical knowledge beyond their role. It is important to recognise that patients contacting the surgery are often unwell, fatigued, experiencing physical discomfort, or dealing with emotional difficulties. They are seeking support during vulnerable times, yet may encounter an unwelcoming response at the first point of contact. This contrast between clinical competence and reception experience is frustrating. Recently, a family member attended an appointment and returned home distressed following an interaction with reception staff. We have raised a formal complaint with practice management, but this has not resulted in meaningful improvement in the standard of reception service. We intend to escalate this matter further given the persistent nature of these concerns over an extended period. The reception experience falls significantly short of what patients should reasonably expect when seeking healthcare. We would encourage the practice to reflect on how their front-desk team engages with vulnerable patients and to prioritise improving this aspect of patient care.

Efficient care restored our confidence

We registered with this practice in early 2022 following some very difficult experiences at our previous surgery, which led to my husband requiring emergency hospital care due to lack of adequate support. I want to express our gratitude to the practice for the care, efficiency, professionalism and responsiveness we have received. The difference has been remarkable and we feel genuinely reassured. We are very happy to be patients here and appreciate everything the team has done for us.

Repeated administrative failures and lack of compassion

I'm reluctant to leave a negative review given the well-documented staffing challenges affecting the NHS, but my interactions with this practice over the past several years have been consistently disappointing. I also submitted a formal complaint through the website without receiving any acknowledgement or response. The referral process has been particularly frustrating, requiring repeated follow-ups from reception to ensure a specialist referral was actually sent, and then further chasing to obtain a response, only to discover the reply had arrived weeks earlier and I needed to be referred again. I was even advised by a clinician to ring back in a week to remind them in case the referral had been overlooked, which felt unacceptable. Additionally, blood samples I had taken were returned three times due to administrative errors with forms and labelling. When I was signed off work for an extended period due to a long-standing health condition, the only suggestions offered were lifestyle modifications I was already following, with no further support or alternative guidance provided beyond a recommendation to exercise regularly. Following a pregnancy loss, I attended for confirmatory blood tests. The staff member taking my blood was dismissive, and when I became distressed and felt faint, there was no acknowledgement or concern shown. When I later contacted reception for my results, I received a brief clinical response with no compassion, sensitivity, or offer of follow-up care. More recently, a maternity appointment resulted in a referral being overlooked entirely. However, I have experienced one exceptionally positive appointment with a particular clinician, though their availability appears limited, likely due to high demand.

Couldn't book an appointment when I needed one

It is very difficult to obtain an appointment at a time when one requires medical attention.

Receptionist was dismissive and unkind

Attended an appointment with my elderly parent today to arrange a consultation with a medical professional. I was informed that a telephone consultation would need to be scheduled first, which I understood. However, I felt the reception staff member was dismissive and unkind towards both myself and my parent. I would have appreciated a more compassionate approach. This contrasts with my previous experience at another practice, where the reception team was considerably more welcoming.

Staff wouldn't help with basic record updates

This has been the most unhelpful and challenging GP practice I have experienced. While the team members are courteous, they appeared unwilling to assist with straightforward administrative requests, even when I provided the necessary supporting documents. I would not recommend registering with this practice.

Friendly staff and quick prescription handling

Excellent experience at this busy medical practice. The entire team, including those at the front desk, demonstrated friendliness and helpfulness throughout my visit. Having a publicly listed email contact option would be a beneficial addition. The practice handles time-sensitive prescription requests with impressive efficiency.