Old Cottage Hospital Surgery

Since covid the care at this surgery in regards to patient bookings has gone downhill. We can't even make routine appointments in advance now, all on the day, and if you managed through the busy line, the waiting list, to finally talk to someone you are offered naught but a phone appointment between certain times. I can understand for on the day appointments to have uncertainty but some people require routine appointments with precise doctors and it's near impossible to obtain those. Phone appointments for care you need to be physically seen for and people who have other things to do than gamble every morning to be seen or not because people have lives and other prior engagements and can't just wait in front of the phone for a ''maybe''. No wonder the waiting area at the GP has gone from jam packed to empty the past 5 years. It's a disgrace. What is going on here??

Receptionist not pleasant . She send me for my appointment to 3 different places and which no doctors were there . After 20 minutes running around to find right doctor and right place , end up I was in correct place but receptionist didn’t bother to check my appointment correctly. After all I’ve been told I was late to my appointment even I was 20 minutes early . Doctors are amazing though . Very disappointed with receptionist.

I have been waiting for an appointment for a smear test for 3 weeks still no phone call to even book an appointment apparently the most unhelpful don’t give a care about there patients told me well you can be waiting 2 months such attitude. When women are easily out of smears anyway this is not the care you expect the system is morally wrong.

This surgery has gone downhill dramatically. I have used it for over 20 years and now feel as though we as a family genuinely have no where to go for any health issue. It’s impossible to get an appointment, if you do after at very least a week it can be with any random dr, who seems to have no access to notes or past history. Dismissive, unwilling to see anyone face to face and at times just rude. I am not alone in this all my colleagues are experiencing same thing from this surgery. It appears to be completely run down and the drs with one exception, really don’t appear to want to take any time at all to help. I am at my wits end and honestly don’t know where to get help .

Online appt is turned off more than it is on now I have found it turned off last week at 10AM!! The surgery has stoped Face to Face appts ! Everything is phone and then you wait easy a week or more for a Doctors phone call appt ! Telling us to use 111 or A&E when they should be seeing more patients ! I have a lot of medical problems and don’t contact them for minor things. They make you wait days for a phone call back when you are unwell.

Since the pandemic hit the surgery has gone completely downhill. It’s practically impossible to contact the surgery, no face to face appointments, endless messaging via the website and waiting ages for replies back. The whole place needs a total revamp… it’s so run down and in need of a refurb and deep clean. Knowing that you can’t ring to see a doctor the same day is awful. Very anxiety provoking. Why on earth is the surgery not seeing patients again with a booking system? Where are the doctors and what exactly are they all doing? This used to be the ‘best’ go practice that I was proud to come to and very fond of all the staff. Sadly I don’t feel this anymore. So many reviews saying the same thing also.

Last Friday the on line requesting system had been taken off due to the service being overwhelmed. The phone just rang and rang. 111 said that they would contact my GP and I would have a call within two hours. Three hours later I called 111 again. An out of hours GP called to say the surgery had finished! This is not an isolated incident, I cannot get bloods taken at the old cottage hospital, there is no time frame given when you are able to fill out an online form and a week later a GP called back. The senior partner responded to my concerns, but after last Friday sadly the situation has got worse. It is about time A&E we’re left to deal with accidents and emergencies and not mopping up what our local surgeries should be doing. GP’s need to start seeing patients. If hospitals can manage to see outpatients and keeping vital services operating it is about time GP’s and surgery staff fall into line. It is shameful.

I have asked for an appointment for my 4 year old son for a sore that has been on his face for the last 4 months. The online doctor prescribed an ointment without any consultation or questions. The script has never been written. Disgusting service Old Cottage Hospital!

I get the sense that this surgery do not want people to be able to easily book appointments, get medication or contact the surgery. The worst thing is the Integrated Care Website (https://integratedcarepartnership.nhs.uk/), that does not allow you too book an appointment online, send a message, or request medication when the surgery is not open. It literally says 'this [online] form is not available outside of working hours.' Horrible experience. They have also removed access to LIVI saying 24 hour care is now available elsewhere, but without saying where to find it.

My GP surgery has been sooooo helpful to me during this Covid-19 pandemic, I am extremely grateful for all their constant and speedy support. The online service is very easy to use and their response is always almost immediate. I am very lucky to belong to such caring GP surgery. Thank You all.