Westerhope Medical Centre

Friendly staff but impossible to get appointments

The staff were very friendly and helpful, though there was one issue with availability when trying to book an appointment.

Impossible to get appointments or callbacks

I have found this practice to be extremely unprofessional and am surprised it continues to operate. Obtaining an appointment is consistently difficult, and when I have submitted online consultations, I have not received any response or follow-up contact despite the urgency of my situation. Many of the clinicians here appear dismissive and seem unable to provide adequate care, with only a small number demonstrating competence, though accessing their services remains challenging. The poor rating this practice has received reflects the widespread dissatisfaction, and I believe significant changes are needed.

Staff were helpful but online booking would help

The administrative team and clinical staff are wonderful. The updated phone system represents a positive change, though the reinstatement of online appointment booking would be appreciated.

Struggling to get through on the phone

I have been attempting to secure an appointment over the past fortnight, but each time I contact the practice, I am informed that no slots are currently available. This has been the case whenever I have called during morning hours.

Reception staff were dismissive and unhelpful

I would not recommend this practice. The staff appeared unhelpful and dismissive, and I felt they were not taking their work seriously. My overall experience was disappointing and frustrating.

Registration process was unnecessarily difficult and frustrating

After recently returning to the South of England for a surgical procedure, I needed to re-register at my previous practice so I could proceed with my treatment. I contacted the surgery to explain my circumstances, as I required support from a family member during my recovery following their recent health event. Upon returning to the area a week later, I discovered I was no longer registered and had to go through the registration process again. I was prepared to do this, but after visiting four times due to missing documentation, I became frustrated and expressed my dissatisfaction with their policies, particularly given that I had previously been registered there. Given that I was already managing mental health challenges, this situation significantly increased my stress levels. When I returned today, I was informed I could not register. The interaction left me extremely upset. I then visited an alternative practice nearby and completed registration with minimal documentation required. I subsequently called back to speak with management to understand why re-registration had been made so difficult when my previous registration history was on file. However, the response I received came across as defensive and argumentative about every aspect of my concerns. I would suggest considering the alternative medical centre in the area, as my experience there was considerably more straightforward. The registration process at the first surgery felt unnecessarily complicated for what should be a straightforward administrative task. I was also informed that registration could take up to four weeks, whereas the alternative practice completed it in two days.

Struggled to get an appointment quickly

Unable to secure an appointment for approximately a month, and emergency slots were also unavailable 👎

Friendly staff made appointments straightforward

I have consistently had positive experiences at this GP practice. The clinical staff are competent and the administrative team are friendly and helpful.

Front desk wouldn't help without going online first

It speaks volumes about this practice that when I happened to be at the location recently, I decided to see what the experience would be like. Unfortunately, I was unable to obtain an appointment, a sick note, or a prescription through the front desk. Instead, I was directed to use the online system or make a phone call. The online system wasn't functioning properly at that time. I'm genuinely concerned about how someone in a vulnerable position would manage with these access arrangements. If it were possible to rate lower than one star, I would.

Waiting months for requested X-ray results

I have had disappointing experiences at this surgery overall, with several appointments where I felt the regular clinicians were not particularly supportive. The locum clinicians I saw were more helpful by comparison. I submitted an online consultation regarding an urgent health matter approximately a month ago and received notification that an imaging scan had been arranged. However, after more than five weeks, I have not yet received this scan or any further communication about it. I feel that the clinical team could demonstrate greater dedication to their patients' needs. I recognise the surgery operates under considerable strain, but individual patients still require adequate attention and follow-up. The practice nursing staff have been the exception, showing genuine care and compassion throughout my interactions with them.

Couldn't get appointment despite phone difficulties

I feel very let down by my experience. I am managing several ongoing health conditions and have been unable to secure an in-person appointment with a clinician. Due to physical difficulties with communication, telephone consultations are not a suitable option for me, yet this remains the only method being offered. My situation recently required emergency hospital care, which I feel might have been avoided with timely access to a face-to-face appointment. I am now seeking alternative healthcare provision and plan to transfer my registration elsewhere.

Reception staff were dismissive and unhelpful

I concur with the negative feedback that has been shared previously. The reception staff displayed an unhelpful and dismissive attitude during my telephone interaction. The practice does not demonstrate a compassionate approach to patient care. I have concerns about how vulnerable patients might be treated when seeking assistance from this practice.

Reception refused to take repeat prescription order

I found the customer service to be extremely disappointing. The reception staff seemed unwilling to assist with my needs. I telephoned outside of standard hours to request a repeat medication order as I had depleted my supply. I was given the same response repeatedly and no one appeared willing to process my request over the phone. Given my work and family commitments, I had inadvertently missed the suggested calling window. It felt as though the practice was content to leave me without my medication rather than accommodate the request. This is not an isolated incident for me at this surgery. I have consistently struggled to obtain appointments and have not received follow-up consultations after previous visits. Overall, the standard of patient care has been unsatisfactory. I would not recommend this practice.

Appointment availability has got much worse

This practice has undergone significant changes and is no longer meeting expectations. Appointment availability has become increasingly difficult to secure. When my young child was unwell recently, I was instructed to provide a sample for testing and advised to contact the surgery after a couple of days. However, I am still awaiting feedback on the results, with nearly a week having passed. The service has been disappointing overall.

Struggling to book appointments and get through

It is extremely difficult to reach the practice by telephone, and when contact is made, available appointments are scarce. The option to book appointments in advance or through online systems is no longer available. A recent remote consultation regarding medication felt unproductive and left me feeling disappointed with the experience. I am considering switching to an alternative practice.

Phone line made getting through impossible

The telephone service does not function as an effective way to reach the practice. It feels more like a system designed to discourage contact rather than facilitate it.

Impossible to book appointments through the phone queue

I found this practice to be quite frustrating. When I called seeking an appointment, I was informed that none were available and was asked to ring back several days later. When I did call again, I received the same response and was advised to contact them at 8am. The appointment booking system appears to operate on a same-day call basis only, with no option to schedule visits in advance. The phone lines seem to be consistently busy, requiring multiple attempts to get through, which can be time-consuming. Even after managing to reach someone, there is no certainty of securing an appointment if other callers are successful first. I felt the administrative processes at this practice could be significantly improved. The current system creates unnecessary barriers to accessing care, which I believe contributes to the challenges patients face when trying to engage with GP services.

Reception unhelpful with midwife appointment booking

The reception staff member appeared unhelpful when I recently switched to this practice a month ago, which was also quite difficult. I needed to arrange a new appointment with maternity services, but the receptionist seemed unwilling to assist and simply directed me to contact the maternity centre directly. However, the maternity centre indicated that the GP practice should be the one making these referrals and bookings. I have significant concerns about the standard of care I may receive here and do not feel adequately supported at this practice during this important time. I am uncertain about how to transfer to another GP practice, particularly given that this is my closest option. I am disappointed by what I have experienced at this medical centre so far.

Reception communication needs serious improvement

The clinical staff are wonderful, however the reception team member appears to struggle with passing on information effectively. The communication issues are quite frustrating. When attempting to book an appointment by phone, availability seems limited. I would hesitate to recommend this practice.

Struggled to get appointments for ongoing needs

I have multiple ongoing health needs that require regular medical attention. However, I have been unable to access an appointment with a clinician for an extended period. This has prevented me from receiving necessary diagnostic testing that I require. Additionally, important medical documentation was not forwarded to the relevant benefits assessment organisation as expected, which has negatively impacted my support claim. My situation is complicated by several concurrent health conditions that make accessing care particularly challenging.