Birchington Medical Centre
RK
Rachael K. 8 years ago • From Google
Bad
Awful, discourteous, and ineffective Reception Manager and Admin assistant. Teresa!! This marks our third interaction. Initially, during my eighth month of pregnancy with a previous bleeding incident, I contacted 111 for guidance. The following day, I received a voicemail prompting my call, and upon reaching out, I was confronted by you declaring that after two decades of patient history, the surgery could no longer serve me due to my temporary Margate residence (outside your service area). Despite explaining my homeless situation and inability to register elsewhere without a permanent address, you remained unsympathetic and terminated the call while I was in tears. Subsequently, after my baby's cystic fibrosis diagnosis, while still in temporary housing, I sought to register her for critical repeat prescriptions. I pleaded for assistance, emphasizing our lack of a fixed address and imminent permanent move. You categorically refused help, responding with hostility and dismissively instructing me to register elsewhere. Fortunately, another surgery, upon hearing my circumstances and your refusal to assist, immediately registered my daughter, despite geographical boundaries. Today, attempting to secure an appointment for my working son (still within your catchment), I encountered your characteristic rudeness and unhelpfulness, which has become disappointingly predictable. The final straw emerged when, believing the call concluded, I overheard you muttering an offensive term. Your professionalism is severely lacking. The appointment booking protocols seem arbitrarily manipulated—sometimes same-day calls required, other times weeks-long waiting periods. Test result misplacements, treatment delays, and disrespectful treatment of vulnerable patients suggest systemic issues. I emphasize that this critique does not reflect on the medical practitioners, but squarely targets the administrative staff urgently requiring customer service training. Following today's interaction, I am escalating my formal complaint.
TJ K.