janduplessis886/england-nhs-gp-reviews huggingface dataset:
GP surgery review: westbury-group-practice
Title: Very bad practice now, pretty much worthless
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: March 2023
Two main functions of GP, getting GP appointment and prescriptions. With a third admin role which is also important.

First one (GP appointments) is next to impossible, you have to call on the day at 8am to be in a chance to get any appointment, impossible to book in advance.  That's assuming you can get an appointment that day, if not tough luck.

Second (prescriptions) I had major issues with, after being discharged from hospital after major heart surgery it took me harassing them for two weeks to get my hospital prescription added to get meds I needed.  I almost ran out of meds (only 7 days worth left).  Given the delay in getting meds from the pharmacy I only just managed to get my meds before I ran out completely.  Many of the meds would have caused serious complications had I abruptly stopped taking them.

Third I had a insurance claim to make due to hospital visit, Westbury practice will take the full 30 days to reply (legal requirement they must reply within that timeframe), they will not do it any sooner.  Likely same reason my prescription took weeks too.

My advice if these are your GP, don't be ill or if you are go to the hospital as this lot are beyond useless.

Only exception is INR team - they all seem to be very professional, sad this doesn't extend to the GP, who after covid I don't think actually show up for work.

Sad thing is before covid, they were very good.

I see from other comments, I am not alone in this view of them.
GP surgery review: westbury-group-practice
Title: Horrible system needs an urgent review
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: January 2023
I have been trying to arrange ADHD meds for my son, who has had meds before. I have called 4 times over the past few months and every time I am advised ‘call back tomorrow at 8am’ when I do that I am 20th in the queue, 50 min later there is nothing left. Surely it’s madness to advise the whole of westbury and surrounding to ‘call at 8am’ no wonder it’s impossible to speak to anyone, and If you do have a spare hour to wait they have nothing available. I managed to book my 40 year health check today, I’m flabbergasted I got in. I’m 43 now- better late than never! My partner had to go to A and E last weekend for Antibiotics for a bad Ear infection as he couldn’t get in. (We waited 5 hrs)  The dr at A and E said westbury surgery is notorious there!  The Receptionists are lovely - they seem as annoyed with the booking system too. I’m scared for my family. I pray no one gets unwell
GP surgery review: westbury-group-practice
Title: Still waiting in the phone queue
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: November 2022
I'm writing this while I wait in the phone queue. Apparently my call is very important to them. A member of their team will be with me shortly. the same message, along with my place in the queue has been replayed to me 19 times so far, I started out number 17 in the queue, now I'm number 5. I've been waiting 17 minutes and am not feeling my call is very important to them at all.
GP surgery review: westbury-group-practice
Title: Refusal to make an appointment
Rating: 3 out of 5
Visited: August 2022
For many years I had great service here and after an xray I was to join the Coritsone program for my ankle. Expensive walking boots enabled me to postpone the injection for a year. When I phoned reception I was told due to the time gap I must have another consultation. Bit of a waste of a doctors time but I understood the reason. I said ok lets make an appointment - to be told 'sorry you cannot we are fully booked'. I said 'ok I will make one  weeks or months later any day or time' - sorry we fully booked. I pointed out to the receptionist that you say I must have another consultation how am I if I cannot make an appointment?
I was told to phone every morning and join the dreaded phone queue! Rather inconvenient if you are working (and in a bit of pain).
GP surgery review: westbury-group-practice
Title: useless
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: May 2022
can never get through on the phone lines,either engaged for 45 mins,then #14 in queue only to be told that you cant get an appointment in the specific women health clinic because they are full this month and they haven't opened the appointments for june.
You cant speak to a nurse on the phone either because there are no appointments and if you ring Wednesday or Thursday because the Women's health nurse that you need to speak to is there ,you probably wont get a call back because shes booked up.
so I say to the receptionist, I therefore cant book an appointment or speak to a woman's health nurse .
No,was the answer...and she also came out with.
"it's just one of those things "
Great service dont you think.
GP surgery review: hawthorn-medical-centre
Title: Very bad practice, no appointments at all
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: November 2023
I have been trying to call for an appointment , was kept on hold for 30 mins to go through and when I asked to book for an appointment for ongoing chest pain their answer was to call them the next day and it’s my fifth time calling them in a month to be on a waiting list for 30-50 mins to be told to call next day. -5 out of 5 . Guys just avoid it.
GP surgery review: hawthorn-medical-centre
Title: Open building
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: October 2023
This is only open building as to book appointment is impossible, I am calling at 08:30:01 and the phone is disconnected already. How's possible that one second after opening I can get in the queue? No appointments available at all, we already paying higher nin to support NHS and the service from week to week is going worse.
GP surgery review: hawthorn-medical-centre
Title: Useless place
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: September 2023
I am trying to get an appointment as I have a problem with my heart. Is just impossible to thru to reception, if you manage there are no appointments available. Once made an appointment for 10 o'clock, I got to practice at 9:55 waiting in the, getting to the window at 10:02 - is too late, and an appointment was canceled. You probably quicker die then get an appointment with that GP.
GP surgery review: hawthorn-medical-centre
Title: Really kind and helpful staff
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: August 2023
Receptionists are so kind and polite every time I ring. Telephone calls with GP were carried out promptly,  with such patience and genuine concern that we really felt listened to. Referrals and follow up appointments were made as promised. Home visit was arranged and carried out with such kindness and respect which helped my mum, who’s very fearful of any medical intervention, feel far more at ease. Blood tests carried out by the nursing team were again with such kind practitioners that my mum, although not exactly enjoyed the time, but was relaxed and happy. I cannot thank them enough and feel confident that everything in my mums best interest is being carried out with the same level of concern and respect they would for their own relatives. Thank you.
GP surgery review: hawthorn-medical-centre
Title: I don't recommend this surgery
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: August 2023
The worst surgery! They keep refusing my access to get my medical records even though their website says otherwise.
Not just that but their catchment area is practically the whole of Swindon so that's why most of us right near the surgery can't get an appointment. I find the doctors really good there but the receptionists are something else. I don't care about telling them what's wrong it's the fact they just don't care. They tell me there emergency line is for ambulances when that's 999s job. There services are diabolical. I wish I could leave them. Doctors are wonderful but how it's run is so outdated. Other local surgeries give full access on the NHS app, they have livi, they have a messaging service. Why that can't be implemented, it probably could if they changed their catchment area and reduced the surgery size.
GP surgery review: hawthorn-medical-centre
Title: Appalling
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: August 2023
I hate to leave a bad review as I know how much all GP surgeries are struggling across the country, but this surgery is simply awful. I was asked by this surgery to call back at 8:30 the following morning as I needed to be seen face-to-face fairly urgently. Having called 45 times, I finally got through to be told there were no appointments left, when they themselves had said I needed one. Why on earth they couldn’t have booked me in as soon as they realised I needed an appointment, instead of leaving me to call continuously for an appointment only to be left crying and practically begging on the phone the next day, I don’t know.

This surgery does not have the capacity for any new patients, it cannot cope with the ones it has now. I don’t know what’s wrong with me, I just hope it isn’t serious as this undue delay certainly won’t help. I’m anxious and stressed about it all, and this surgery has only made it ten times worse.
GP surgery review: hawthorn-medical-centre
Title: Joke service
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: April 2023
Can’t get through, can’t get appointment , same old stuff as every other comment since last year, no improvement, no change , only time we have been able to book appointment in advance was after paying ££ for private appoint to be referred , funny how appointments become available when you pay extra
GP surgery review: hawthorn-medical-centre
Title: Great practice
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: April 2023
Very helpful caring and professional team.
The care and treatment is excellent from all the team.
Great practice, Many thanks Paul.
GP surgery review: hawthorn-medical-centre
Title: awful
Rating: 2 out of 5
Visited: March 2023
I visited the practice today with my daughter who attended because she had a blood test appointment. After booking in and took our seats in the waiting area I was confused to find that with 9 patients currently in the waiting area that only at least 4 were wearing face masks, are you still saying that Face coverings are mandatory when majority of patients that were waiting were not wearing any face covering. My mother got shouted at about 3 months ago because she wasn't wearing a Face Covering when she had an exempt card as well explaining why, My mother was only down the practice to obtain a fit note and a prescription. If you still are saying that Face Coverings are mandatory can you kindly make sure that this rule applies to everyone as it seems unfair
GP surgery review: hawthorn-medical-centre
Title: Awful
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: February 2023
1. Phone message too long and time wasting, listen to it, then queue is full. 
2. Never any appointments, even if you get through by 9am - gone! Call back a lunchtime - nothing. 
3. Always told, go to urgent care. May as well register with them! 
4. Reception staff - rude 
5. Dangerous patient care 

I want to register my family somewhere else! 


I rang dead on 8am on Tues 14th, 29 times I listened to the message and after 30min I got through. No appointments. Told to ring the children’s clinic, closed. Rang them multiple times, nothing. Rang Hawthorn again and guess what, 12:04 - no duty dr app left either. Told to go to urgent care. 

My son is likely in need of some long term care and need for several app. Urgent care is not what we needed, we need to see our own GP and set up a care plan! 

Absolutely useless.
GP surgery review: merchiston-surgery
Title: Trying thier best.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: September 2023
Always found them to be helpful and considerate whilst trying to offer the most efficient service they can given resource and capacity issues. The surgery covers a huge catchment area!
GP surgery review: merchiston-surgery
Title: Waste of time
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: August 2023
Was called to make urgent appointment with my GP. When I arrived the GP asked what did I want to speak about today? Said that I had been requested to make the urgent appointment by receptionist . Dr started talking about something else completely,  obviously had not looked at any notes, then repeated what l had previously already been told , no new info .. I have difficulty walking so not great to be given no reason for being there !!!. GP seemed bored and totally uninterested  . Offered no help . Total waste of time when others are desperate for an appointment.  Used to be a fantastic surgery a long time ago but sadly now it is just a joke . Would not even rate it with 1 star.
GP surgery review: merchiston-surgery
Title: Excellent service
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: July 2023
Over the past couple of years I have experienced excellent service from this Surgery and my Gp. 
I have found it easy to book appointments,  I receive prompt call backs. I have regular messages and calls reminding me to book my annual reviews.  
On several occasions I have had to request urgent prescriptions which have been issued promptly.  My encounters with receptionists both face to face and via telephone have been good experiences they have been Friendly and helpful.
GP surgery review: merchiston-surgery
Title: Awful health care centre. Avoid.
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: July 2023
My experience at this facility was deeply unsatisfactory. The doctor I consulted with displayed a dismissive attitude, hastily providing me with website links related to various conditions, leaving me unsure about my own diagnosis. To make matters worse, after leaving the surgery, I unexpectedly received a prescription for medication that the doctor had not discussed with me beforehand. This left me feeling apprehensive and compelled to conduct online research to understand the purpose of the prescribed medication—a concerning and potentially hazardous approach to medical care. Overall, I am left feeling highly dissatisfied and apprehensive about my health concerns, with virtually no hope of having a meaningful discussion with a doctor regarding my multiple conditions. I strongly advise anyone considering this facility to avoid it at all costs due to the myriad issues and lack of proper medical attention I experienced.
GP surgery review: merchiston-surgery
Title: Absolutely appalling
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: June 2023
Patients cant get appointments and spend hours on the phone in a que they are told they are unable to join ! Receptionists tell patients to ring the hospital to get pending blood results to be told by the hospital it's the surgerys job to chase results not the patients. On explaining this to the receptionist at the surgery I were told I would have to ring back to make an appointment with a doctor.  If doctors are having to deal with chasing blood results which should be the receptionists job it is of no wonder patients cant get appointments. What was once a good surgery has rapidly gone down hill.
GP surgery review: merchiston-surgery
Title: Apalling to the point of useless!
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: April 2023
Pointless, not fit for purpose system. I can only reiterate what others are saying. Rather than have such a long winded automated message after 13 attempts of getting through, and then the long wait,(40mins) why can't they just say at the beginning of the call, that there are no further appointments? 
For all the nhs messages in the media to get things checked if you have certain symptoms   - sure, If only! I shall just hope for the best.
Please stop this madness!!
GP surgery review: merchiston-surgery
Title: Poor response from an oversubscribed surgery
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: April 2023
Today feeling very poorly after severe chest infection of over two months has left me extremely weak and vulnerable, I am 77.
Rang at 8.00 told no appointments or GP call backs. I explained how ill I felt so was told to ring 111.
This I did 111 took all details and was told to call surgery back where I should be seen today.  Took ages to get through again to Merchiston where the same unhelpful girl said the same applied and to try at 12 noon.
Did this and was told on the dot of 12 noon by a recording that all lines taken and to try later.  Did this and was then on hold for 45 mins with that mindless music and recordings which if anyone was feeling as ill and stressed as I was it would almost tip them over the edge.  The recording gets stuck every now and then so you can be 4 in the queue for an endless time.
Eventually got there to explain I had been told I should see someone today and was told sorry that covers 24 hours and there was no appointments or even a triage call. Told to ring again in the morning and go through this waste of time and energy all over again.
This surgery is now offering a next to nothing service.  Have been with them for over forty years and I have had enough. 
It isn’t a doctors surgery anymore it is just a pathetic excuse for one.
I have no idea who manages it but they are not doing a very good job. It is quite unacceptable.
I’m sure there are a very lucky minimal few that get to see a GP but for the vast majority you would have more chance of an audience with the Pope.
I am about to look into how I can change surgeries,  there has to be better than this awful setup which makes ill people feel they are a nuisance and asking for something quite preposterous to expect to see a GP!
GP surgery review: merchiston-surgery
Title: Dangerously incompetent management
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: March 2023
How the QCC allow this place to operate in it’s current state I will never know.
I’m autistic and have bi polar disorder. My medication means I have to have regular blood tests to make sure its not harming me more than is necessary. 
Merchiston are now withholding my
Medication because I can’t get through on the phonelines to make an appointment for a blood test. I am writing this whilst on hold from merchiston. I have moved 10 places in the queue in half an hour of waiting at my expense. Sometimes the system will simply play a message saying try again later after waiting to speak to someone for 30mins and then promptly hang up on you. 
The stress this impossible situation puts on the most vulnerable in society is unacceptable and dangerous. As a former registered manager in the private sector I can tell you the difference in standards is troublingly stark! A practice that doesn’t damage people more so than when they came in doesn’t seem a lot to ask for, unless of course you live in east Swindon. 

To end more positively, some of the staff, are very good but shocking incompetence at management level means you’ll be lucky to notice.
GP surgery review: merchiston-surgery
Title: What is the point of a surgery you can’t contact?
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: March 2023
I received a text message asking me to call the surgery. No other details. So began 2 days of trying to speak to someone. Called just after 8am and the message was the lines were too busy and to call back later. Tried at 2:10. Went through option 3. Got to position 2 in the queue… then simply nothing. 40 minutes of Muzak and ‘your call is very important to us’. Gave up. Went through on option 1 and 35 minutes to get from position 10 to position 8. Similar story the next day. What are they doing that causes these disgusting delays? 2 calls took 35 minutes? It’s just not believable and I firmly believe the receptionists are literally sitting there ignoring the phones. I haven’t got the time or energy to devote to sitting waiting for hours on hold. Why does this surgery ask me to call them (I have no idea what this is about which is worrying) when they clearly know it’s an impossible task? Why don’t they they try and call me if they want to speak to me? This smacks of them being able to say ‘well, we asked you to get in touch’ when something inevitably goes wrong. This surgery is a danger to its patients and needs an urgent review and intervention as I believe lives are being put at risk here.
GP surgery review: merchiston-surgery
Title: Poor practice
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: February 2023
It is impossible to get appointments. I have tried this morning for my husband.  No appointments available.  Had to go through 111 who did make an appointment however it was just for a call.  Why can’t we have face to face appointments anymore.  He is 86 years old and we are basically having to self diagnose.  Shocking care !!!
GP surgery review: old-town-surgery
Title: Competent GP surgery.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Visited: June 2022
The staff are always providing optimum treatment.  Staff are polite and professional.  The GPs are located on ground floor, nurses mainly first floor.  There is a lift available, which I've never used.  I'll probably have to use soon.  There probably is a bus running every 1/2 hour, to the corner of Curie Avenue.  A pharmacist is next door, Jhoots.
GP surgery review: the-lawn-medical-centre
Title: Unacceptable waiting times and practices
Rating: 1 out of 5
Visited: August 2023
Almost 30 min wait to see the nurses after the appointment due-time, without mentioning the early arrival.  Total time on that occasion spent waiting for a Vit.B injection that lasted less that 4 min, was 50 min.
Another occasion in the past, arrived for nurse appointment, waiting room full and smelly, while nurses chatting and enjoying themself in the kitchen next to waiting room for at least 15min, past my appointment time. Then when they finished their simultaneous break and disappeared in their respective rooms they made everyone wait at least another 10 min before starting to call patients in for their treatment. No point having appointments if they get ignored to the benefit of "at the same time" tea-breaks.  The nurses behavior in relation to the patients waiting, needs to change as is disrespectful, unacceptable and unprofessional.
GP surgery review: the-lawn-medical-centre
Title: Understand Pressures but disappointed
Rating: 2 out of 5
Visited: January 2023
I received an NHS letter following a routine lung health scan - it contained some worrying information.  I made a telephone appointment with a GP, but do not feel that my concerns were properly understood and also that one of the concerns was already known, although it was the first I had heard of it.  So I have been left disappointed and wondering if I should pay for a private lung function test.
GP surgery review: the-lawn-medical-centre
Title: Went for diabetic review
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: August 2022
Lovely Diabetic Nurse Practitioner was helpful explained at every stage
Checked my feet, blood pressure, my weight etc.
Rang a couple of days later ref my blood results.
I have a bit of a phobia about Covid and rarely go out.
I was not looking forward to going to the Surgery ( my thoughts are only sick people go there.) and did not want to be there but it was fine.
Visitors are expected to wear a mask I would anyway.
It was not as crowded as I thought it would be.
Quite a good experience and not as daunting as I thought it would be.
Well done to The Lawns Surgery.
GP surgery review: cadbury-heath-healthcare
Title: Fantastic service
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: February 2022
Have had numerous occasions the past few months where either I, or family members have needed to obtain appointments.
A short wait to get through, various helpful navigators have listened and offered either telephone calls or face to face appointments (our choice)
Each clinician has responded in a comprehensive manner, following up when needed.
Honestly I can not fault the service we have been given.
Keep up the good work, during continuing hard times, you’re all doing an amazing job.
Thank you
GP surgery review: close-farm-surgery
Title: Great Practice
Rating: 5 out of 5
Visited: October 2022
Really pleased with the customer service provided by this surgery. All our family members needed travel vaccinations and they were organised quickly. All staff were very friendly and helpful. Highly recommended practice and we look forward to getting same level of service in future. Thank you.