Werneth Medical Practice

Receptionist turned me away for being late

Disappointing experience with the service received. The reception staff were unhelpful when I arrived slightly behind my scheduled time, and I was turned away without being seen. This contrasts with other visits when, despite arriving punctually, there have been significant delays before being called in. The inconsistency in how appointments are managed is frustrating.

Referral wasn't properly documented first time

I wouldn't recommend using this GP practice if you have other options available. I needed a referral for testing and felt that my concerns were minimised, which prevented me from obtaining the referral I required. I had to provide additional evidence including photographs and a detailed food diary, but this supporting information wasn't included in the referral that was sent. I felt that my case wasn't adequately advocated for. As a result, I now need to book another appointment and go through the referral process again because it wasn't handled properly initially.

Friendly receptionists made booking straightforward

The reception team were pleasant and accommodating. I have consistently had positive experiences at this practice and would recommend it. 😄

Impossible to get through on the phone line

I have found it very difficult to secure an appointment at this practice. The telephone system is problematic, with lines frequently busy during the booking window, and when contact is eventually made, I am typically informed that no appointments are currently available and advised to call back the following day. This experience has been extremely frustrating and disappointing. I would prefer to be registered with a practice that can more reliably accommodate appointment requests.

District nurses provided respectful and professional wound care

I appreciate the care provided by the district nursing team who assisted with my wound management following my surgical procedure. They demonstrated professionalism and treated me with respect throughout their visits.

Impossible to book appointments by phone

This practice requires significant improvement. I have been attempting to secure an appointment for an extended period, following the suggested approach of calling at the recommended time. However, the phone lines are consistently busy, and by the time I reach through, available slots have already been allocated. It is frustrating when a service is unable to fulfil its basic function of providing accessible appointments to patients.

Online appointments don't work for everyone

The shift towards online-only appointments has created barriers for older patients who are less comfortable with technology, making it difficult for them to access medical care in a way that suits their needs.

Reception staff gave contradictory information

The reception staff provided a disappointing experience, with inconsistent information that contradicted what was initially communicated to me. I found this frustrating and unprofessional.

Reception didn't care about my urgent baby concern

I would rate this practice far below one star if possible. I have never felt compelled to leave a review before, but in my experience, I have not encountered a practice that falls short in the way this one does. The reception staff appeared dismissive and unhelpful. When I contacted them early in the morning regarding my young infant who was unwell, I was offered an appointment a considerable time in the future. There was no empathy shown, no guidance offered, and the interaction felt abrupt and incomplete.

Long wait times and poor communication

Such a poor experience at this practice that I would not recommend it.

Impossible to book an appointment here

It has been extremely difficult to obtain an appointment at this practice. I have been unable to access a consultation for an extended period.

Couldn't get through after multiple calls

I would respectfully urge others to be aware that this practice has significant difficulties with appointment availability. Despite making multiple attempts to secure an urgent slot in the morning, I was unable to do so. The reception staff interaction was unpleasant, and I was advised to consider registering elsewhere if dissatisfied. I would recommend exploring alternative practices before committing to this one.

Difficult to access care and dismissive throughout

I consistently experience significant obstacles to receiving care at this practice, which functions as the primary barrier to healthcare access. Even when navigating these hurdles, the experience deteriorates further with dismissive attitudes toward health concerns and questionable clinical reasoning, creating an offensive experience at every interaction. This pattern appears widespread across multiple NHS facilities. I question the value of my contributions toward a service that fails to meet basic standards. When expressing dissatisfaction, staff responses suggest seeking alternative providers rather than addressing concerns. Healthcare services appear unavailable at this practice, which operates more as a revenue-generating operation. This is evident from the availability of clinical staff throughout the day for certain preventative services that are remunerated to the practice on a per-procedure basis, as communicated by practice staff and marketing communications. The regulatory oversight appears ineffective in addressing these systemic issues. This review has been updated over time to provide readers with accumulated context rather than being rewritten or deleted by the practice. The practice has responded by characterizing this feedback as unusual behavior, which represents the dismissive and defensive approach patients can expect to encounter. This response pattern is concerning and warrants scrutiny. The practice has labeled this review as disproportionate, seemingly because it does not align with their preferred narrative about operational priorities. The practice has engaged in searching for other reviews online to dismiss legitimate concerns, which constitutes poor conduct and reflects negatively on their professionalism. The absence of a reply function means additional context must be added here to address the attitudes demonstrated by the practice.

Impossible to get appointments despite calling early

I have been registered with this practice since early 2021, and throughout my time as a patient, I have consistently struggled to obtain appointments regardless of the issue I need addressing. The appointment slots appear to be fully booked every single day, even when attempting to book first thing in the morning. The phone lines are frequently engaged, and on the occasions when I have managed to speak with reception staff, I have been informed that no appointments are available and directed to alternative services such as 111 or accident and emergency. This approach seems counterproductive, as it raises questions about the value of maintaining registration with a GP practice if the outcome is being redirected elsewhere and facing lengthy waiting times in other services. I find this situation deeply frustrating and feel the practice falls significantly short of acceptable standards.

Phone lines take too long to answer

This surgery has been extremely disappointing and frustrating to deal with. The phone lines are not answered promptly. I called earlier and had to wait for 8 minutes listening to the phone ring continuously. When someone eventually picked up, they said there were no available slots. I was trying to book an appointment for a very young child, and I felt this should have been treated as a priority given the age group involved. The reception staff came across as unhelpful and dismissive, and I have serious concerns about the quality of care provided by the clinical staff, which has left me questioning their competence.

Impossible to get an appointment by phone

Absolutely no good..I wouldn't join if I hadn't already...the reception team could be improved and obtaining an appointment is very difficult, as calls often go unanswered and when contact is made there appear to be no available slots, which undermines the purpose of having a dedicated practice. A 7 day access service would be preferable, so there seems little benefit to registering with a specific doctor anyway.

Phone lines overwhelmed, receptionist unhelpful throughout

Extremely frustrating experience! Called at 8 as instructed and got through at 8:20, only to have the call disconnected. Called back and didn't manage to connect until 9:45. Despite being fourth in the queue, it took nearly two hours to get through to someone. When I finally spoke to someone, I was told they couldn't provide an appointment at that time. The staff member was quite dismissive, citing how busy the practice was. Ironically, this busyness seemed to be the reason they couldn't handle a small number of incoming calls. I was transferred to a manager who offered me an appointment on the 17th October, which unfortunately doesn't work for my situation. Additionally, I requested a name change on the system three weeks prior and only discovered yesterday that only part of the name was updated correctly. The other part remained unchanged. It seems like a straightforward administrative task that should have been completed properly.

Phone lines consistently busy at opening time

I wish I could provide a lower rating! The service felt inadequate. The practice states opening hours of 8am, yet I was unable to access the appointment booking system until 8:30am, with repeated messages indicating the line was busy despite calling right at the stated opening time. Once I finally got through, there were no available appointments remaining, which seemed inconsistent given that only a small number of people appeared to be ahead of me in the queue.

Repeated phone call failures and dismissive reception staff

I booked an appointment in the morning after a 20-minute wait. I was informed that the consultation would take place over the telephone, which was acceptable. The clinician called but the line disconnected shortly after greeting me. When I called back, reception advised that they would arrange for a callback, though this did not materialise. I made another call and was told a message would be passed on, but I received no response. On a subsequent call, the line was disconnected, and when I rang again, the receptionist's tone felt dismissive while reassuring me that a message would be sent and a callback would follow. This callback never occurred. I requested to speak with the practice manager but was informed they were unavailable. I was then transferred to a colleague who questioned my reasons for wanting to speak with management in a manner that felt confrontational. I was advised to call back on Monday to discuss the matter with the manager.

Can't ever get an appointment here

This practice has significant difficulties with appointment availability, making it challenging to access care when needed.