Westcotes Health Centre Reviews Summary

Staff Attitude and Professionalism

Pros:

• "Very friendly reception staff that are more than willing to help you with any issues you may have."
• "The receptionist was polite and helpful. I visited out of office hours being referred to by NHS emergency to a GP here."
• "I've been with the surgery for 11 years and always found the receptionists honest, empathetic, helpful, polite."
• "A helpful modern local health centre, which is able to offer many services and a large pharmacy."
• "The staff were very rude when I asked for direction and not helpful. I had a nurse assess me but he barely spoketo me then gave me antibiotics and told me the wrong instructions for the antibiotics!"

Cons:

• "Some of the Drs are extremely rude and lake sympathy."
• "Nurse in children's services/bloods has a huge attitude problem. Patronising, rude and unnecessarily aggressive."
• "The Receptionist Caroline needs thorough training on how to speak to people, especially in the environment she works in."
• "I’ve never had such a worst experience on the phone, just inquiring about making an appointment the lady on the phone didn’t bother hearing any problems."
• "Reception staff can be very rude and condisending. Often having no doctors, they come across as doing you a favour by being able to see a doc."
• "Rude, condescending and argumentative staff on reception. I realise I’m not the only person treated with borderline hatred, based on the feedback."
• "Terrible experience from the receptionist hanging up the phone on me while trying to explain my problem to the doctor G K Boora who after asking him if he can check my back or book an x-ray he said ''no, it's everything ok because it looks like you can move . .''"
• "The reception team are very racists, apart from just one older lady with a grey hair, if you are from ethnic minority you can actually feel the racism when you call the reception or when you go there for appointment, I know other people have been through this as well in that clinic And it’s been like this for years."

Appointment Accessibility

Pros:

• "Making an appointment has never been a problem whether it's a phone or face to face with GP."
• "I've generally had a good experience there, there are 2 separate surgeries there westcotes 1 and westcotes 2 which is confusing because I never got told which one I'm part of I just go to the right side of the desk when visiting."
• "Wanted to say a direct thank you to the male clinic nurse who helped me today. Not only did I get in earlier than my appointment (yes earlier) but the nurse discussed exactly what he was doing, why he used the packing he did and rebooked me closer to my own address."
• "Excellent service. Waited < 5 mins. Dr Weir talked through my ailment and medical history, challenging any assumptions I had made."
• "I have used the hubs on regular basis for all of my family. Amazing detailed approach... if they are running late receptionist without failure will alert all on arrival. GPs have provided me and my family person centred approach at all times."

Cons:

• "The want you to run rat race to book an appointment and even if you call exactly at 8am they won’t pick up the phone."
• "Finding an appointment takes so bloody long and they honestly don’t care."
• "The telephone system is either engaged or, if you ever get through, all appointments are gone and you get told to ring back the next day."
• "It is almost impossible to get through and get an appointment, ever, no matter how urgent your condition is."
• "This practice is appalling. My partner rang complaining of chest pain at 8am, he received a call back and 12.35 to be told he may be suffering from anxiety but go to A&E just to check."
• "Just made 73 attempts to call for an appointment. First attempt at 8.00am all kept being cut off, finally got through, spent 25 minutes in a queue to be told there's no appointments and i should have called earlier. Then she hung up on me😭"
• "Email form does not work so no way to contact via email. Waited on phone for 20 minutes listening to busy message, could not get through. What happens to people with a serious illness, I dread to think"
• "Refused flu vaccination despite being eligible for one, have had one for the past 10 years or more due to heart attack and now even though nhs have sent me a text saying I’m eligible to get one I have been refused twice because I’m 61 and not over 65 despite being eligible for the past 10 years or so"