Whitworth Medical Centre

"Poor Management at Third-Rate Practice"

Certainly, this is an inferior establishment characterized by inadequate management.

Prompt Service, Friendly Staff, Excellent GP Experience

I scheduled an appointment for Wednesday afternoon and was able to secure one for Thursday morning instead. My call was answered within two minutes, and the doctor attended to us right on schedule. The reception staff were friendly and accommodating, as was the physician we met with. I couldn't ask for a better experience from a healthcare facility.

Poor Service: Long Wait Despite Urgent Medical Need

Extremely disappointing experience. I attempted to call and ended up on hold for 14 minutes and 36 seconds, all while being first in line; I'm relieved I wasn't second. After having surgery yesterday, Burnley Hospital instructed me to reach out to my GP for a dressing change within three days. The receptionist informed me that the earliest appointment I could get would be on February 18th. She then directed me to another phone number for further assistance. It would have been much more considerate if she had taken my contact information and relayed it so that someone who was able could reach out to me when they were free. Given that I was supposedly first in the queue, yet she mentioned she’d been answering calls, it leads me to believe she might have only been using her mobile phone for this task.

Mixed Experiences at Busy Medical Practice

Feeling somewhat hesitant, I considered giving a score of 3, while a rating of 2.5 seemed more appropriate; however, a score of 2 felt overly critical. Throughout my interactions with the staff, they have generally exhibited a blend of professionalism and friendliness. There was one particular general practitioner during a phone consultation who repeatedly referred to me as “good girl” and “good little girl,” which struck me as odd since I am certainly far from being perceived as such at the age of 32! This conversation occurred while we were discussing my recent improvements in mental health following an adjustment in my medication prescribed by another doctor. Securing an appointment can be quite challenging; I often set my alarm for just before eight o'clock to give myself time to prepare before frantically calling in. On one occasion, after calling right when the lines opened, I found myself second in line for over forty minutes. It was puzzling what could have caused that delay that morning—there wasn’t even an acknowledgment or apology given for it. I usually manage to see the same doctor by utilizing their app to book appointments about three or four weeks ahead and checking back regularly throughout the day for any newly available slots. Although he tends to run late for our meetings, he always offers his apologies when this happens—something I appreciate because it suggests that he is taking extra time with patients who may need it more than others; after all, not everyone fits neatly into those standard ten- or fifteen-minute consultations! In contrast, whenever I've gone in for blood tests or routine nurse visits, they've been relatively punctual and courteous during those encounters. There seems to be an imbalance between patient load and staff availability at this medical practice; if only patients could easily secure appointments without hassle—it would greatly enhance overall experiences and reviews alike! Just today I had scheduled a telephone consultation but now find myself waiting over an hour past closing without receiving any call from them yet. It appears that nothing might come through now 😂 especially after spending all day glued to my phone anxiously awaiting their call!

Neglectful Practice with Zero Patient Care

Terrible service. They show no interest in following up on outcomes and appear indifferent towards their patients. It's astonishing to me that they are still in business and functioning as usual.

Rude reception staff

Rang today to chase up my medication request. Receptionist was unexpectedly rude, luckily for me I was in my nominated pharmacy with my phone on speaker. Pharmacist told me to report her to CQC as people that rude with such an attitude in staff are a thing of the past. Honestly feel crap after speaking to her.

Frustrated Patient: Avoid This Incompetent Healthcare Facility

To be frank, the situation is quite frustrating. If you attend an in-person appointment, it's likely you'll wait around 40 minutes past your scheduled time without exception. I've experienced this delay on three separate occasions despite only having gone to three different doctors' visits. When I shared my feedback regarding this issue, the medical staff responded defensively, explaining that they are overstretched and often have to work late into the evening; Dr. Rashid specifically mentioned this when I expressed my concerns about their punctuality. Recently, I contacted the referrals line seeking a connection to the local diabetes team since it has been years since I last saw a consultant. However, instead of being directly referred as expected, they instructed me to set up an appointment with a nurse first so she could handle my referral request for me. This level of mismanagement and apparent disregard is truly disheartening. If you care about your health and overall well-being, it's best to steer clear of this facility at all costs due to its overwhelming stress and inefficiency in handling patient needs effectively.

Brilliant Doctors and Staff Shine Brightly

The entire team of physicians and personnel is outstanding.

Efficient Service Restores Faith in Doctor's Surgery

I just called to schedule an in-person appointment with a physician. A friendly and accommodating receptionist answered my call promptly. It's great to witness the clinic returning to its former level of service, which has been quite reassuring.

Frustrated Parent: Long Wait Times End Call

This morning, my girlfriend attempted to call for an entire hour, but I had to pause due to work commitments. I remained on hold for precisely one hour and two minutes before the call was disconnected. My son is unwell, and I'm dissatisfied with the situation; we will be seeking a new doctor because of the awful service received.

Frustrated Patient Leaves Clinic After Poor Service

***ANOTHER UPDATE*** As of March 2022, I have distanced myself from this establishment and transitioned to a different practice. I would encourage everyone else to consider doing the same. **UPDATED** For the past six weeks, I have been attempting to secure an appointment regarding significant mental health and personal challenges, but all that has been offered are callbacks with a pharmacist. This place needs to be closed down! I've reached my limit! The only competent physician at this facility is Dr. Saleem. Unfortunately, around 90% of the reception staff behave in a rude and dismissive manner, often belittling patients. Frequently when trying to reach the surgery by phone, it turns out that they are “closed” (as it stands now at 8:50 AM). It's incredibly frustrating because getting through is rare; if you do manage it, you're often denied an appointment and told instead to call back tomorrow—this was repeated about four times for me just last week. Attempting to get test results feels like searching for something mythical; it's nearly impossible or they seem misplaced entirely. The level of service here is dismal at best. The sole reason I'm still connected with this practice is due to Dr. Saleem’s exceptional dedication towards his patients; he has significantly aided me over these last few months. If he were ever to leave this establishment, I would certainly follow him elsewhere—I'm certain many other patients would make the same choice as well.

Poor Phone Service at Doctor's Office

Employees must possess effective interpersonal skills and understand the importance of answering a ringing phone. I waited for 50 minutes while my call was unanswered, so I decided to take my phone into the doctor’s office with me. Upon speaking to the receptionist, I inquired whether their phones were out of order. She confirmed they were functioning fine; however, I pointed out that my phone was still ringing and it had been an hour since my call began. Despite this, she claimed they were busy even though several staff members appeared to be engaged in casual conversation! Frustrated by the lack of responsiveness, I exited the office realizing there should be improvement since we contribute through our council tax for such services—it's quite amusing really!

Customer Frustration with Unanswered Phone Calls

Why is it that they never pick up their phone?

Receptionist's Ego Problem Leads to Poor Service

A standard receptionist who struggles with their self-esteem may not prioritize your needs and often exhibits a lack of motivation, which explains their consistently poor evaluations.