Winterton Medical Practice
SL
Scott L. one year ago • From Google
Bad
I arranged an appointment the previous evening for the following morning. Early that morning, I received a text notification cancelling the appointment and instructing me to call the practice to discuss alternatives. When I called, I was informed that the staff member scheduled to conduct the blood test was unwell, which I understood was unavoidable. I was directed to follow a link in a text message to attend an alternative location for the test. However, when I checked the app, there was no availability shown at that location, though there was availability listed at another medical practice. After entering the alternative location into a navigation app, I was directed to a hospital instead. Upon showing my confirmation to hospital staff, I was eventually told to go to a specific floor, where I was then informed I was actually at a different centre in town. This was frustrating as I had been given unclear directions and my confirmation did not specify which centre I should attend. When I finally arrived at the correct location, I was told I needed to obtain a form from my practice before the blood test could be conducted. The staff member at the centre mentioned they frequently encounter this issue with my practice and that it is an ongoing problem with how patients are informed about the requirement to collect documentation in person before attending for tests. I called the practice to explain the situation and requested that an investigation be conducted into the calls, as they are recorded, so that the complaints department could understand the difficulties I experienced. Throughout the year I have had various issues with the practice but did not feel they warranted a complaint until this incident. I was asked to collect the form in person and return to the centre. When I asked if the form could be emailed to me instead, I was told a physical copy was necessary. This resulted in lost earnings and considerable inconvenience due to unclear communication and inadequate service. I would not recommend this practice. The service provided was disorganised and poorly managed, and reviewing other feedback suggests this is not an isolated occurrence.
dave d.