Chelmer Medical Partnership (Tennyson House Surgery)
SK
Sapna K. 3 years ago • From Google
Bad
I visited the surgery this morning to book an appointment, and to my astonishment, the entire booking process had been altered without any formal communication sent to me - no email, text, or letter informed me of these changes. What does the surgery expect? That I should visit daily or weekly to ensure I'm up to date with their seemingly random modifications? The reception interaction was even worse. They were unable to understand or cooperate, and whenever I sought clarification, they would respond with "I'm here to help you" and claim I was speaking inappropriately. I simply wanted answers to my questions, which should be a reasonable request. If they cannot handle inquiries, they should at least refrain from such comments. I requested to speak with the Practice manager and received a dismissive response: "Send a letter, and we'll look into it." When I asked about individuals unable to use online booking, no satisfactory explanation was provided. Regarding my online medicine prescription that hadn't reached the pharmacy after 10 days, the receptionist denied receiving the request, despite my presenting evidence from their online system. She appeared unwilling to listen to the patient, seeming to have predetermined responses instead of genuinely hearing concerns. In such a setting, staff should be more courteous and receptive. Somehow, I completed the appointment booking form, only to receive a text with a link that led to no available appointments - an incredibly frustrating experience. My fundamental questions remain: Does the surgery believe patients have nothing better to do than constantly check their link for appointments? What about emergencies that aren't A&E-worthy but require immediate attention? I've already spent 5 hours attempting to secure an appointment. Sometimes I question the purpose of having a GP if accessing necessary medicines and treatments becomes so challenging. I believe someone in the NHS has overthought the appointment booking process, creating a system that helps no one and only increases patient stress. It represents a complete waste of NHS resources and time.
Thiru V.