Sudbury & Alperton Medical Centre
KZ
Khadija Z. 4 years ago • From Google
Bad
I would rate this practice extremely poorly. The reception team's approach has been consistently problematic. I noticed concerns from my initial registration, when the online system was unavailable and paper forms had run out, requiring me to document my family's information on alternative paper. This continued when a family member who was unwell and had difficulty speaking was spoken to in an unhelpful manner by reception staff. My relative contacted the practice multiple times seeking guidance about their health concerns, only to receive a call from reception attributing the issue to miscommunication between practice locations. No appointment was arranged, and my family member subsequently required hospital attendance and emergency care for their condition. My most recent experience has been particularly frustrating: The receptionist answered my call with an unhelpful tone, interrupting me while I was introducing myself and explaining my situation, then later asking for the information they had failed to listen to initially. I had called regarding a specific matter but was not permitted to fully explain it. The receptionist checked the system and dismissed my enquiry without addressing what I had raised. A medication request that should have been processed two weeks prior was only then being documented. When I later called to ask about a delay with a prescription that had not been sent for collection, the call was terminated before I could discuss my actual concern, which related to recent test results. This represents a pattern of similar issues, including previous medication prescription errors and calls being ended without my concerns being properly heard. I have not had the opportunity to meet with clinical staff, as appointments are rarely successfully arranged. While the clinical team may be competent, there was previously an issue with a medication prescription that required pharmacy intervention and took several weeks to resolve. I would advise prospective patients to consider this carefully. To the practice management, reception staff are patients' first point of contact and significantly influence perceptions of the service. When initial interactions are negative, it undermines confidence in the healthcare provided and discourages people from seeking appropriate community care, potentially leading to unnecessary emergency department attendance.
Khadija z.