janduplessis886/england-nhs-gp-reviews huggingface dataset:
GP surgery review: fairbrook-medical-centre
Title: Find a different practice
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: October 2022
A while back my husband and I tried to have fertility treatment we were fobbed off and ended up having to go private. £14000 later (for treatment I was young enough to get in the NHS) and I have a lovely baby boy. I tried a few times to register my child and get a six week appointment only to be told that they don’t pre book appointments and I had to try at 10:30 or 2pm to get appointments when they were released. This I tried on four separate occasions with no joy! I then called up for an appointment just for me as I had a c section and the scar developed a sore was told to take a picture and put it on some link which I did. I was called I missed the call because I was feeding my son I was called a minute after that which again because I was feeding my son I missed, they took me off the list and I was told I would have to call back and re book. I was worried about having a sore on the c section scar and would have liked to have it dealt with before it gets infected. I’m now thinking I will have to see if I can get a private GP appointment for this. They seem to not be thinking about the fact that new mothers are suffering with their mental health.
GP surgery review: fairbrook-medical-centre
Title: Fantastic practice
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: October 2022
My experience with Fairbrook continues to be brilliant. The staff are always warm, helpful and conscientious. The reception team in particular are to be commended for their unwavering professionalism and kindness. The GPs and nurses are very knowledgeable and supportive; I have always felt listened to and been very satisfied with how my health concerns have been addressed. Their phlebotomist is also excellent and has a magic touch (blood draws never hurt or feel uncomfortable). My experience with Fairbrook’s pharmacist has also been great; they are outstanding, very helpful and deeply knowledgeable. To conclude, I think Fairbrook is an absolutely fantastic practice; I can’t say enough good things about them as I’ve had an excellent experience and felt very looked after, with my health needs met.
GP surgery review: schopwick-surgery
Title: Wonderful practice
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: August 2023
When I needed an urgent appointment it was available very quickly. The doctors,  nurses, receptionists and admin are very helpful and friendly.
Couldn't belong to a better practice
GP surgery review: schopwick-surgery
Title: Poor Receptionist
Rating: 4 out of 5
Visited: June 2023
Such a shame that the Elstree Receptionist who answered the telephone had very little compassion when asking for her help with getting a prescription issued for my son, who has chronic Crohn's disease.
GP surgery review: schopwick-surgery
Title: Outstanding service
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: June 2023
I recently joined Shopwick surgery and I am blown away at how amazing this surgery is!!
With the NHS as stretched as it is, this surgery still goes out of its way to help you. Every single member of staff from receptionists, to doctor to pharmacy to blood test have been incredible. Everyone is so helpful, friendly and efficient. 
Also text and online communication is great!!
Thank you so much!
GP surgery review: schopwick-surgery
Title: So far, outstanding.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: June 2023
Since joining Schopwick last year, I have found an individual GP that offers me continuity of care for a complexed medical situation, fantastic would be an understatement when it comes to my preferred doctor. I cannot offer enough praise for them. 

Secondly, in my personal experience, I have found the staff at the surgery to be friendly, communicative & helpful. 

The administration staff have always offered the choice of face to face or telephone appointment.

Furthermore, the options offered and service for patients are intuitive and thoughtful: 

text services for: 
-Doctor patient communication outside of appointments.
- Community engagement events
- Local health circumstances 
- Upcoming appointments  

Online communication with the practice:
You can use a service they offer called “Patchs” through their website and contact the practice, you can ask for your preferred practitioner & explain your circumstances this will lead to further action such as an appointment with your doctor. 
You can request repeat prescriptions here also. 

I am a patient at this practice & I am happy with the practice right now. 

As we all know things can change, however that doesn’t just have to be negative change. 

I would urge any patient to speak to their practice, find a preferred doctor that you like, trust & feel you can communicate openly and freely with. 

This will greatly improve your relationship with your GP practice & in your times of need, you will feel much more comfortable in arranging treatment. 

Remember outside of emergency appointments, so long as your preferred doctor is available it is your right as a patient within the NHS to be able to see the doctor or nurse of your choosing :) 

This is not a reflection of anything other than our personal preferences and who we feel comfortable seeing and sharing our health concerns with.  

Having had the unfortunate experience of having to deal with a truly woeful practice in the past. As of mid 2023 I rate schopwick as outstanding, true to their current CQC rating.  

I hope that Schopwick continue to work so openly with their patients and strive for even more, servicing the local community & giving their patients peace of mind that when they need help, it’s there & it’s going to be ok. 

Finally, I would urge anyone who is unhappy to seek change, try a different Doctor, Schopwick I believe is a training GP practice, so there’s lots of new doctors and also a group of really fantastic experienced doctors. 

Communicate, you may find someone right for you that can really help. 

Like anything, no body or entity should be above criticism or beneath praise, my review is based on current personal experience & is subject to change both positively and negatively.

Thanks for reading this novel of a review!
GP surgery review: schopwick-surgery
Title: Amazing surgery and genuine caring staff
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: May 2023
I just wanted to say a huge ‘thank you’ to everyone at Schopwick. I am a recovering cancer patient and each time I contact the surgery and speak to anyone either in reception or the doctors, they always show empathy, professionalism and keep their promises in call backs etc. The staff genuinely care about their patients and for that I am eternally grateful as it takes away any medical concerns I may have. Thank you to each and every one of you. My family and I really do appreciate everything you do for patients in the community.
GP surgery review: schopwick-surgery
Title: Love this practice! Friendly, helpful and efficient
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: May 2023
I’ve been a patient at Schopwick for 5.5 years and I know lots of people complain about their GP surgery, but I genuinely couldn’t be happier with Schopwick and the help they provide. The doctors and nurses are kind and helpful and the reception team do their best to help with appointments. If a doctor sees a result on my bloods that they’d like to speak about, they call or I also receive text messages asking me to call the surgery if needed. They use Patchs for questions to a GP typed online, which I find useful and very efficient. Thank you Schopwick team for being so wonderful and I highly recommend this surgery to anyone in Bushey.
GP surgery review: schopwick-surgery
Title: Excellent practice
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: May 2023
The medical staff and receptionists are professional, kind and very pleasant. I would definitely recommend your practice
GP surgery review: schopwick-surgery
Title: Fantastic service
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: May 2023
Although the wait time in the phone was quite long, when I did get through, the receptionist I spoke to was excellent, extremely helpful and understanding of what was required. She arranged a telephone consultation with the doctor who called me back within 30 minutes. The doctor, was also extremely helpful, friendly and courteous as well as being highly professional. Understood my needs and resolved them.
GP surgery review: schopwick-surgery
Title: Fantastic Practice
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: May 2023
This Practice has good knowledgeable doctors who are interested in one as a patient.
Always able to get appointment.
Thank you.
GP surgery review: schopwick-surgery
Title: Fantastic practice even under so much pressure
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: May 2023
First of all the reception team go out of their way to make an appointment and get you booked in.
The doctors and the nursing team are just absolutely brilliant I can’t thank them enough thank you so much.
GP surgery review: the-grove-medical-centre
Title: Idiotic
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: February 2023
The grove decision makers continue having the worlds most inconvenient appointment system. For a while you could book routine appointments online. I received a text saying my results from an ultra sound were ready and could I call 8am to make an appointment. I have a 5 month old baby and mornings on my own are difficult but the only way to book a routine result review is for me to ring at that time in the morning??? Can’t book online nor can they just book one for me - I have to ring up and sit in a queue for a virtual result review.  The surgery has no respect for patients time. They are completely backward with no triage system (administrators decide who is the most urgent on the day and direct people to A and E when they run out (hence why acute hospitals are over run)  Simple to put in a triage system with a clinical person  and a proper online system would be a basic offering wouldn’t it? I will ring at 8am and rearrange my baby’s sleep routine instead.
GP surgery review: the-grove-medical-centre
Title: Great Practice
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: December 2022
Lovely Receptionist s when they take your call 
The staff are so nice from the Drs Nurses and people on the phones and desks 
All the Drs are caring and very kind. Obviously one only goes if necessary. Thanks to All
GP surgery review: the-grove-medical-centre
Title: Absolute joke of a surgery!
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: December 2022
This surgery is an absolute shambles! I called 3 days running last week for an app for my poorly son to be told no sorry no appointments left. I simply asked given the recent stepA outbreak shouldn’t they be prioritising young children and I was met with the most shocking response of ‘I’ve turned away a 4 week old baby this morning so if he’s that bad take him to a+e’ the receptionist almost sounded proud of this which is very disturbing. The disgustingly rude receptionists need proper training in patient care and basic compassion because this is something they lack massively. They also need to realise they are simply there to signpost and not to determine clinical decisions.  This medical practise needs drastic improvement it’s not fit for human purpose.
GP surgery review: the-grove-medical-centre
Title: Need training
Rating: 3 out of 5
Visited: November 2022
Rang up today and mentioned that the week prior I'd had an ECG and even thought the results had shown there was nothing to worry about my symptoms hadn't changed and I could still feel my heart beating through my chest and a pulse in my neck The receptionists told me it was too late to talk to anyone I'd have to call back in the morning or do an  consult on the internet So I done the  consult and with my symptoms I got a message saying I need to talk to someone today  I guess it'll have to wait till tomorrow now
GP surgery review: the-grove-medical-centre
Title: Great Staff
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: November 2022
Appreciating that booking an appointment to see a doctor via the nhs is not user-friendly and really needs to be improved I do have to say that the staff at the Grove Medical Center in Egham have been nothing but helpful and courteous to me any time I have been there.  Thank you!!!!
GP surgery review: the-grove-medical-centre
Title: Morning Call Wait Time Unacceptable
Rating: 3 out of 5
Visited: August 2022
Although when I finally can get an appointment all healthcare professionals are lovely. However, this is if you can actually get an appointment.  
This morning I checked my phone log and I phoned 201 times, to then be met with the receptionist telling me they are fully booked for today - bearing in mind, this day was Friday and I am now left with an infection over the weekend.  I understand there are staff shortages and this is a difficult time - being in the healthcare profession too, but this is really unacceptable and not behaving in a patient first manner.  Really let down today.
GP surgery review: the-grove-medical-centre
Title: An Example of how things should always be
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: August 2022
I had a transplant at the Royal Free Hospital - so on immuno suppression. Issues have occurred and when necessary I have contacted the Grove at Borehamwood. The reception service superb where you simply press 1 and your place in queue reserved and they call you back every time. Technology used to great effect. All have great general knowledge and helpful. Doctors are a shining example of the NHS and in reality have been instrumental in saving me life. Covid/Flu vactionation processes seamless and co-ordinated so nil stress on patients. Thank You.
GP surgery review: the-grove-medical-centre
Title: No appointments for new born baby
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: August 2022
Usual poor service from the Grove my midwife advised me to get an on the day appointment for conjunctivitis for my new born baby.  I was told there were no appointments left and that I should attend Barnet ED.  It’s no wonder the acute sector is completely overrun.  This is a primary care issue - and yet again the grove fails to look after its most vulnerable be it elderly or new born. I had a c section in the last two weeks and no thought for this has been given at all.
GP surgery review: the-grove-medical-centre
Title: Receptionist was very dismissive
Rating: 2 out of 5
Visited: April 2022
I have just managed to get through your hotline after waiting for more than half an hour. However, I was advised to please call 111 instead for further advice. This is getting out of hand as I feel like waiting in queue does not seem reasonable especially in matters of clinical concerns. Please also note that the timeframe it took me to get a hold from your representative started Thursday morning. As a professional myself who works in the healthcare setting, there is a lot of things to work and improve on.
GP surgery review: the-grove-medical-centre
Title: Ridiculous
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: January 2022
Why they have online prescription repeat if they don’t do it properly. I asked a prescription and i get a message about i can go in any pharmarcy and buy my tablets without prescription. I asked in the pharmarcy, they said i can buy that tablets only with prescription. So the person who read my request first time, didn’t read it properly what i asking for. I asked my tablets again, and i got message about sorry you need to call the practice at 8am to book an appointment. Thank you! Every morning when i try to call them exactly at 8am, the waiting time is 30-40mins meanwhile i need to do other things. I understand it has other peoples in the line, understand covid things also. But make appointments only on phone with so long waiting times is really bad. And also my partner was in the surgery on an appointment and he asked the reception lady about he would like prescription repeat, she said he need to call in the morning because they do everything by phone&online. it’s ridiculous if someone already inside by personally still call them because they can’t do anything there locally on the computers.    Also my partner phone them at 8am, because he wanted a prescription repeat. After long waiting time the lady said he need to call back them 1.30. Partner called back at 1.30 and the new lady said he need to book an appointment. on the first call, why couldn’t the lady tell him to make an appointment, or if she no longer had an appointment why she didn’t tell?
GP surgery review: the-red-house-group
Title: Poor Support
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: March 2022
Having registered with this practice, which includes Park Street and Red House Radlett, we are very disappointed with the level of care we have received. After multiple attempts and completion of several forms to have my son referred to a pediatrician to have an assessment done, no guidelines, recommendations or constructive feedback has been received. We have been asked to have yet another set of forms completed which are unrelated to the assessment requirements my son requires. I fully appreciate that these processes take time, however, 5 months is a long time to be waiting for a constructive response to assist my son and get an appointment with a pediatrician.
GP surgery review: the-red-house-group
Title: Terrible service and communications
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: February 2022
Recently my wife and I tried to get my 8 year old son tested for a possible infection (non covid related) and seen by a doctor. Instructions on testing and samples were not clear and delivered in a borderline rude way resulting in 2 wasted trips to both radlett and park street over 2 - e days and still my son has not been seen by a doctor. Turning up at both surgeries at present is like coming to a prison - locked doors, gruff ‘wardens’, certain things not ‘allowed’ on certain days. A very simple 3 step process on samples would be good. I get that the NHS has been under the pump with covid but haven’t we all - redundancies, reduced staff, lower pay, stress etc has effected us all. Seems to me it’s being used as an excuse. To be fair in the case of this surgery it’s been on a downslide for a number of years. It’s a shame as the doctors are great when you actually get to see them.
GP surgery review: the-red-house-group
Title: Phones and reception staff
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: January 2022
Your telephone system is absolutely awful. I have been advised you upgraded and it has not gone well, this isn’t good a enough response and I can see a response to another patient comment here back from August so it has been nearly 5 months or more. Whilst I can empathise to an extent that your phone provider is the problem you must take more responsibility and put pressure on to fix it, the way it is now cannot carry on. I have been on hold for hours at a time last week and again today, as soon as you get past position 3 in the queue it stops telling you where you are. I went from 7 to 3 and then was on hold for a further 40 minutes before the line went silent, called back and was back to number 8, again when I got “you are caller number 3” there were no updates as to my position again. 
When I came in for an evening appointment last week your receptionist at the time was just plain rude, no eye contact, blank expressionless, very quiet when asking questions then seems irritated when you can’t hear her properly yet didn’t answer when I asked something politely of her - GP asked me to have reception print something as his machine wasn’t working, she just turned away…someone with zero people skills should not be in that role, even if you are not up to forming a full sentence you could you say “yes” so I know you’ve heard me. I tried to ask about the phone system and she just ignored that part, may be sick of hearing it from other patients and now chooses to not speak? GP receptionists tend to get a bad rep but I prefer the ones that are running around in chaos, you can excuse them for coming across rude when so busy, this lady was just blatantly rude.
I will be leaving this anonymous as I am not requiring you to contact me off the back of this, just please take it on board and fix your core problems, the GP’s I have spoken to and seen recently have been very good, it’s a shame about the battle when you are already sick and weak to get to them past that phone and the front desk!
GP surgery review: bridge-cottage-surgery
Title: Worst service ever!
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: May 2022
Arrived for a blood test to be told I had no appointment. Since moving and registering with a new surgery Bridge Cottage booked me in on Monday but by Thursday deleted that same appointment. I wasted petrol, half a days work and my time arriving for a nonexistent appointment. I had no email, text or letter notifying me of the cancellation; despite the surgery having ALL of these details. Pure laziness!

The woman at reception could not have cared any less. Only said ‘you need to ring your new surgery’ and just kept looking behind me at the next person in the que.. I left in a panic attack of tears.
In then went back in to ask why nobody had reached out to let me know it had been cancelled but she just said ‘it’s not I’m our fault it’s your new surgery that cancelled it’

How would a different surgery cancel an appointment at this surgery??

I was asking for help/support with tears running down my cheeks and visibly shaking. But the receptionist did not care at all and showed NO effort to help or support me with an next steps..

2 people in the surgery (other patients I think) checked I was okay and asked if they could call anybody for me. Whilst they asked a different member of reception staff rolled her eyes as if I was an inconvenience.

The surgery should be ashamed of itself. I have a diagnosis of depression and anxiety and it’s new to me so learning to try and ask for help when I need it or ask questions to try and solve any issues but this woman made my entire experience AWFUL.

I then spent a further 20mins sat in my car crying and trying to calm my breathing down because of the pure lack of care or consideration.

I then called my new surgery who were thankfully able to book me in straight away for the same week AND even apologised on the behalf of the Bridge Cottage saying they were embarrassed of had such a poor experience.

Avoid this GP at all costs
GP surgery review: bridge-cottage-surgery
Title: There must be a better telephone system available
Rating: 0 out of 5
Visited: March 2022
The telephone system currently in use to book appointments for Bridge Cottage Surgery is dysfunctional, frustrating, uninformative and time consuming.  
There must be a better telephone system available, this one is hopeless.
GP surgery review: bridge-cottage-surgery
Title: Call for an appointment and they hang up
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: January 2022
Called at 8am for an appointment for my sick 7 month old. Waited 15 mins in a queue only for them to hang up on the spot. Called back and they said in 33rd in the queue. Absolutely pathetic.
GP surgery review: the-portmill-surgery
Title: Covid care
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: June 2022
My husband needed anti viral medication urgently . The surgery couldn’t have acted quicker to help us sending a referral to the right team in minutes . A courier delivered the medication within 3 hours . Really impressed and grateful for the hello in  what was a very stressful situation
GP surgery review: the-portmill-surgery
Title: Outstanding treatment
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: April 2022
I have had the cause to attend a few face to face appointments recently. Experiencing Covid-19 Anxiety I was so impressed of the duty of care exercised by Portmill to keep the risk of Covid the best possible in protecting your essential staff as well as patients and the standard of cleanliness is impeccable.
I was treated so sympathetically and respectfully at all levels from Reception to my amazing Doctor and Nurses.
I felt so at ease and safe.
Thank you for being such a wonderful Surgery.
GP surgery review: the-portmill-surgery
Title: ‘All Round Excellence’
Rating: 4 out of 5
Visited: March 2022
My late Mother had been under the care of the Portmill Surgery for the past 3 years or more. I was managing her care and was in frequent contact with the surgery regarding her various  health needs. Every member of staff was so understanding and extremely helpful.