Browney House Surgery

Booking system makes getting appointments nearly impossible

I've been considering posting a negative review for quite a while, and my most recent visit has finally motivated me to do so. The appointment booking system is extremely frustrating. The only available option appears to be same-day emergency slots, which means non-urgent issues still require booking an emergency appointment. This feels inappropriate, as I've had to take appointment slots that may have been needed by patients with more pressing concerns, simply because there's no way to schedule something for a week or two ahead despite still requiring medical attention. When calling to book, telephone appointments seem to be the only option offered, yet in my experience these consistently result in being told "I'll need to see you face to face instead". This feels like a significant waste of both appointment slots and time. If standard face-to-face appointments were available to book directly, there would be no need for this two-step process, and more patients could be accommodated overall. I had to miss a telephone appointment because I was occupied with my young child at the time. I called back straight away, though I couldn't get through initially due to the lines being busy for around 10 minutes, to explain what happened and ask if the clinician could ring me back. I was informed they would pass a message along, but was warned the clinician had a full schedule that day. I never received a callback. I feel genuinely disappointed by how this surgery operates. Beyond the problematic booking system where appointments are extremely scarce and require calling at opening time to secure one—I've called every morning for six consecutive days only to be told each time there were none available—the clinician didn't even attempt to return my call despite me ringing back immediately. In my view, once a patient is scheduled, that time slot is allocated for them. It would take minimal effort to note that the patient didn't answer and proceed accordingly. When a patient calls back promptly, it's reasonable to expect a return call. The time was still reserved for them, after all. I genuinely feel anxious about having to call for appointments. I suspect many people have delayed seeking medical care because of how this surgery functions, and I include myself in that.