Hereford Medical Group Reviews Summary

Appointment Booking and Availability

Pros:

• "I recently had occasion to fill in a form on a Tuesday, and received a phone call on the Friday to go to the surgery for a gp appointment that afternoon."
• "Following a string of good visits, we were pretty shocked given our last visit to the surgery for a routine check up for our 5 month old daughter."
• "I called at midday after initially deciding not to contact a GP. I requested a callback and received this within 25 minutes."
• "I had an appointment with a nurse practitioner. My appointment was on time."
• "Shocked to have had my first positive experience with HMG recently. Naturally there was a call queue, but their new phone system allowed me to retain a place and get a call back when someone was free."
• "I telephoned the surgery one Thursday evening. Got through within a few rings. Spoke to a young lady who listened and obtained an appointment the following day."
• "Phoned new Surgery today. 6th in queue answered within 6 min by very helpful receptionist Paige who could not have been nicer."
• "Fantastic service received today! In 5 hours we went from not having a GP and needing medical assistance to receiving treatment and having medication prescribed!"

Cons:

• "Absolutely impossible to call them. ALL THE TIME too busy to answer the phone. Zero call back as well, a disgrace."
• "Was asked by my doctor to book a follow up appointment. No body answers the phone."
• "Avoid it if you can. Some days take over 1 hour to answer phone."
• "Utter sham. This place is impossible to get an appointment at, thrown through many different systems when you do try."
• "Impossible to get an appointment. 1 week for email response, then a “choice” of 1 day in 6 weeks time for an appointment."
• "I filled out the online form and was told I'd be contacted in 5 working days with a time for a GP appointment. A week went by and I hadn't heard anything."
• "I would just like to say you didn't actually offer a service, you fobbed me off! If you put as much effort into seeing and treating patients as you do dismissing the feedback here, I am sure your service could improve."
• "Ring 8:45am to book an appointment, 'all our reception staff are busy' please use our online form."

Staff Attitude and Professionalism

Pros:

• "The reception team were so helpful, as was the person who tracked down my old paper records just in time for a deadline I had."
• "I have always been impressed at how helpful every staff member is - and have always been able to get the medical support we as a family have needed."
• "I cannot fault the staff who answer the telephone calls and you no longer have to wait in a queue as they will call you back."
• "Phoned new Surgery today. 6th in queue answered within 6 min by very helpful receptionist Paige who could not have been nicer."

Cons:

• "What happens to lone, vulnerable people who have had to take a taxi? Mum's whole day is ruined and I am not surprised that her blood pressure is high today... shameful treatment."
• "You really need to train your front line colleagues in supporting patients. The receptionist that called me back was rude, abrupt and just unwilling to consider abilities to get to the surgery."
• "Appalling the way the receptionist speaks to you asked to see a nurse to take bloods only to be asked why."
• "Appallingly arrogant, dismissive, argumentative, unhelpful, and borderline nasty attitude by the reception staff."
• "Receptionist was rude told me to go over there to book in and just pointed even though she had the computer right in front of her."
• "When she asked for help the receptionist told her no help was available and to 'go home and call 111'."
• "The reception staff were rude. Abysmal service."
• "Having spoken to the cardiac nurses this morning I was advised to speak to gp as might need to be seen or have bloods and have it noted on my records. First attempt at phoning told could not speak due to call volume and was cut off tried again waited a very long time to speak to reception only to be told no call slots available!!!"

Quality of Medical Care and Diagnosis

Pros:

• "However, the doctor helped to finally sort a long-term condition I’ve suffered from, which I’m truly grateful for."
• "The GP we met with was adamant that the wee one didn't have a tongue tie, to the point that they almost appeared affronted that we questioned their decisioning."
• "I had an appointment with a nurse practitioner. My appointment was on time. After the consultation she asked me where I wanted my prescription to be sent."
• "I want to say a huge thank you to HMG for their new system online form filling for non urgent cases. I saw a very kind Dr Beaumont who gave me a thorough examination."
• "HMG get so much negativity that I wanted to thank them for the fantastic service I received today from booking an emergency appointment, reception and finally seeing Dr all of whom were caring, helpful and friendly thank you all for your excellent help."

Cons:

• "Reading other reviews this seems to be common practice in this place."
• "I worry for those mother's who have been told the same thing, trusting the GP and potentially continued breast feeding in pain, possibly causing further issues down the line for both mother and child."
• "If you put as much effort into seeing and treating patients as you do dismissing the feedback here, I am sure your service could improve."
• "Called five minutes before close and was turned away from booking an appointment. While I understand I called late, she didn’t even listen to what was wrong before turning me away."
• "My sister rang today to ask for a confirmation letter that my Dad is a cancer patient of this practice. The admin staff member refused point blank and suggested that we should write a complaint if we weren't happy."
• "Absolutely shocking, was told last Friday I had Ciatica, the rang back after 48 hours, due to still being in pain! Told to up the dosage on my meds."
• "I have reviewed previously on HMG Sadly the service has got no better in that time. I called yesterday to get a message to say there were no further appointments available."
• "Why is it so hard to get a doctor appointment it took from 8am to 11 am to get a callback this isnt the first time its taken hours to get hold or someone and still wouldn't see me never had any issue before they all move in to one and when you do get to see a doctor never any parking spaces really not impressed at all with the service"