Western Elms Surgery

Frustrated by dismissive doctor's approach

I approach this review with considerable unease, and my latest interactions with this specific practice and physician have effectively severed any possibility of my continued patronage. It seems evident that the general practitioner's narrative is automatically accepted as absolute truth, while the patient's perspective is summarily dismissed as irrelevant, dubious, and presumably misunderstood. The crux of the matter is that doctors are, after all, human and susceptible to errors like anyone else - yet this should not render them immune to accountability or exempt from facing the repercussions of their missteps!

Frustrating care and endless wait times

Completely subpar healthcare provision. Neither myself nor my relatives have had a proper consultation with the physician since 2020, with just a single telephone interaction, which ultimately resulted in an emergency room visit as has become typical. I've been let down so frequently that I've lost track of the number of disappointments. I strongly recommend a comprehensive review of the medical practice's operational procedures.

Terrible clinic messed up my scheduling

Absolutely terrible healthcare experience They misscheduled my appointment and seem to be completely unprofessional and careless

Frustrating two-year wait for basic care

This surgical experience has been utterly futile. I've exhausted nearly two and a half years attempting to secure a consultation with a general practitioner, yet without success. Consequently, I've been forced to resort to self-treatment through experimental methods.

Impossible to book a doctor's appointment

This medical practice, including Circuit Lane, appears to be among the most poorly managed healthcare facilities nationwide. There seems to be an insurmountable challenge in scheduling a standard medical consultation. Their approach appears exclusively focused on handling emergency appointments. One can't help but sympathize with the reception staff who must daily navigate frustrated patients simply seeking a doctor's consultation within a reasonable timeframe. The receptionists themselves seem bewildered about the appointment process and unable to provide clear guidance. This situation doesn't appear to stem solely from financial constraints, but rather reflects a fundamental absence of a coherent strategy for appointment scheduling and communication.

Long waits and no appointments frustrate me

This medical practice is genuinely terrible, I want to be clear that when I do eventually connect with a physician, they are courteous and sometimes useful, but I'm utterly unable to reach anyone by telephone - regardless of when I dial, I'm always stuck behind at least 15 people in the queue! Given my work commitments, I can't afford to waste hours on hold only to receive a callback a day or two later instead of an actual appointment. It's no surprise people are resorting to emergency services because they can't get seen, particularly with this frustrating surgery 🙄

Missed call and endless waiting

I had scheduled a consultation for the 16th, specifically requesting a time after 5pm due to my exam commitments. Surprisingly, they attempted to contact me on the 15th at 6:24 pm, just moments before their office closed. When I didn't receive their call, I followed up today, only to learn that my next available appointment is on the 18th of June. To make matters worse, they cannot provide a specific time, which means I might potentially miss their call while at work. After waiting an entire month just to secure a referral to an ENT specialist, I am thoroughly frustrated. Their service is unacceptably sluggish and completely unhelpful.

Quick morning call, smooth medical care

I called early in the day to schedule a visit later on, attended the appointment where my physician was courteous and competent, then picked up the medication recommended by the pharmacist afterward. I'm satisfied with the entire experience.

Apnea and deaf child waiting for surgery

My child's tonsils are massively oversized. The doctor casually remarked they're "touching", yet he remains unconvinced that her sleep apnea, perpetual nasal congestion, recurring fever, and school absences warrant expediting her surgical procedure. He brazenly equated our critical medical situation (let me emphasize, she experiences chronic breathing obstruction, her tonsils are so enormous they impede her airflow and have compromised her right ear's hearing) to waiting in a trivial line for frozen desserts! Apparently, a hundredth customer shouldn't get served first, right? Absolutely, because clearly respiratory distress and hearing loss are just like waiting for ice cream. His brilliant solution? Another round of antibiotics. Wonderful.

Ridiculous wait times for basic appointment

Two weeks just to schedule an appointment, and even then, only if you manage to call precisely at 8am with zero assurance of actually getting seen—what a completely ridiculous and dysfunctional setup!!!

Rushed appointment left me with more questions

I reached out to schedule a visit and was informed that advance bookings are no longer possible, instead instructing me to call at 8am for same-day slots. Following their guidance, I secured an appointment, but the physician appeared irritated by my last-minute booking. The consultation was rushed, with me hardly able to speak, and lasted less than five minutes, leaving me completely uninformed about my health concerns. I'm perplexed by the clinic's approach and level of patient care.

Frustrating phone calls before 10am

I've been trying to schedule an appointment all morning, making 16 separate attempts to reach someone. Eventually, I managed to connect, only to be greeted by another automated message stating they don't accept calls between 8am and 10am. This is completely contradictory to their initial recording that claims they're open at 8am, which is incredibly frustrating and makes no sense.

Frustrating wait with no nurse callback

Interminable delay waiting for a nursing staff callback that never materialized. No communication about changes or cancellation was provided.

Impossible to book afternoon appointments

Constantly swamped, their phone lines are extremely slow, and securing a booking during midday hours proves to be a significant challenge. The wait times are frustratingly lengthy, making it difficult to schedule anything efficiently.

Sick note nightmare at local clinic

Absolutely the most subpar medical facility in Reading. Following my consultation with the doctor, I was directed to submit an online sick note request, and their response time is a staggering 15 days...

Rude receptionists ruined my healthcare

Without a doubt, this NHS practice represents the absolute bottom of the barrel in medical care, boasting receptionists who are shockingly discourteous and administrative personnel who are simultaneously pompous and utterly incompetent. I am committed to pursuing every possible avenue of complaint until this deplorable medical facility is permanently shut down.

Quick help on a tough day

I managed to secure an urgent consultation today and received exceptional care. I truly sympathize with the reception staff who endure unwarranted criticism. It's absurd how some people criticize the staff when the demand for medical appointments far exceeds the available healthcare professionals. Sure, you might spend considerable time on hold trying to schedule an appointment weeks in advance, but that's understandable given the approximately 70,000 residents in this region. If anyone wants to voice frustration, they should direct their complaints towards the government and its insufficient funding for medical training and facilities like Western Elms...

Martin's kindness made my day

Fantastic staff at the front desk. I encountered Martin, a paramedic who was incredibly attentive and supportive. He went above and beyond to assist me and truly listened to my concerns. Much appreciation for his help.

frustrating admin and communication issues

Despite the staff's professional demeanor and friendliness, there are significant communication breakdowns within the administrative and clinical teams. Tasks that should take mere minutes end up dragging on for weeks due to poor interdepartmental coordination. Obtaining services I'm legitimately entitled to—such as medical prescription exemption and housebound status—has been an exhausting ordeal involving endless emails and unnecessary stress, with staff repeatedly claiming I'm ineligible when I clearly am. Multiple staff members have independently asked me to complete forms I had already submitted weeks earlier. They've also refused to add my Long Covid diagnosis to my medical record, despite confirmed diagnoses from multiple NHS doctors. Emails go missing, and staff members seem to work in silos without referencing existing patient information. If they would simply review patient records before processing requests, they would save considerable time and reduce patient frustration. For anything beyond scheduling an appointment, your best bet is to find one of the competent GPs who can navigate the system more effectively and resolve issues without unnecessary complications.

Quick help when i needed it

I was feeling under the weather after my workday and reached out at 5:30. A doctor promptly returned my call within an hour and arranged for my medication to be sent to the local pharmacy, ready for me to collect that same night! I was absolutely delighted.