Alma Medical Centre
SI
Steve I. 8 months ago • From Google
Average
After spending several days attempting to contact the reception team, which was not an isolated incident, I have made the difficult decision to leave this practice following a lengthy period as a patient. My three-star rating reflects that I have no concerns regarding the clinical staff or reception team members themselves. The difficulty lies with the appointment booking system and processes. I subsequently registered with another practice and experienced a notably different process. When I called, I was connected promptly, kept informed of my position in the queue, and spoke to someone within minutes. This contrasts sharply with my previous experience of receiving continuous busy signals over nearly six days, including a weekend period, followed by a thirty-minute wait in a queue with no visibility of my position. Earlier attempts to secure appointments had similarly been time-consuming and frustrating. My new surgery, by comparison, completed my registration within hours of my transfer request and called me back within ninety minutes of my initial contact to arrange an appointment. I was seen promptly upon arrival. This demonstrates that it is entirely feasible to operate a practice where booking an appointment does not present such significant obstacles. I would encourage a review of the current appointment booking procedures, as improvements would undoubtedly enhance patient experience. Prior to recent times, I would have rated this practice very highly, though current circumstances appear to continue affecting the front-facing service quality. The dedicated clinical team deserves support through improved systems, and patients warrant a more streamlined booking experience.
Martin C.