Western Elms Surgery Reviews Summary

Communication and Staff Interaction

Pros:

• "I have always received excellent care from this surgery the staff are always friendly and helpful."
• "The doctors, nurses & office staff are amazing, Really professional and always go over and above to help with things."
• "And an even bigger thank you to Dr miller for the prompt and thorough telephone consultation."
• "The doctors are fantastic, especially Dr Akhter, who is reassuring, empathetic and incredibly knowledgeable."
• "Once you get past (some) of the receptionists the Doctors here are great!"
• "The triage is efficient and the reception are good, and have amazing patience given some of the hostile attitude I have witnessed from patients."
• "I find all the staff to be excellent. Especially the receptionist ladies."

Cons:

• "The staff are doesn’t communicate with each other and therefore each of them says different thing on the same query."
• "Although they maintain their professionalism and are very friendly, the admin staff fail to communicate with each other."
• "Dreadful surgery not sure why I registered here the staff working on reception are very rude on the phone."
• "But the calls are awful, lines don’t open when they say they will and have just been dropped from the call after waiting 15 minutes."
• "I just find a few (not all!) Of the receptionists incredibly abrasive and rude."
• "The reception staff is getting a bit of a joke."
• "The reception staff are too rude, very unfriendly especially one young woman."

Appointment System and Accessibility

Pros:

• "Called in to make an appointment and was allocated a slot in ten minutes time!"
• "Although it is an incredibly busy surgery, I have never had to wait for an appointment."
• "I also quite like that this surgery gives you an appointment on the same day."

Cons:

• "Useless appointment system. Been calling for the last 20 minutes to get a booking for my dad and the line is constantly engaged."
• "Never answer the phones and when they do already they are fully booked."
• "WORST GP EVER! i have been waiting just over a month to get back test results!!!"
• "Horrible surgery! I'm trying to get an appointment for the last 3 months."
• "Phone calls seem to be rarely answered - calls terminate after 3 or 4 rings - continuously."
• "A nightmare never get through then when you do still can't get a appointment or not helpful over the phone."
• "Absolutely impossible to get through on the phone lines to make an appointment or speak to anyone about results."

Professionalism and Care

Pros:

• "The doctors are also very caring, but special praise has to go to the nursing team who are all brilliant being professional, caring and understanding."
• "The receptionist had a very caring and welcoming approach."
• "Thoroughly professional examination and diagnosis explanation with treatment proposal including future follow up if further treatment proves necessary."

Cons:

• "This surgery is a joke! My mum had app on friday, today is tuesday and still waiting for prescription to be sent to pharmacy!"
• "Last time when I asked a GP if I keep taking the same medicine, he asked me 'which medicine?'."
• "Waited 45 mins to see duty doctor for a severe concussion... only to be seen by doctor and told the lump on my head and headaches i was having was due to a ingrowing hair folical."
• "Absolute joke. The GPs will tell you anything to get rid of you, and they won't action / record / follow up on any of it."
• "Then when they do call you back they spend 20 seconds asking you questions, ignore your answers and tell you to go to A&E."
• "I was absolutely appalled by the receptionist lack of care and empathy."
• "Unbelievably unprofessional service!"