Braids Medical Practice

Really great practice with brilliant staff and care from reception through to the GPs, Nurses and AHPs.

I have complex medical needs so when I moved to the area I was apprehensive about finding a new GP who’d take an interest in my case and also be on the same wavelength as me. Truthfully, on there were a couple of staff who made me feel uneasy but they have since left or retired. After my initial unease with the first doctor and nurse I’d seen I didn’t feel inclined to go to the surgery but when I became ill with flu and wasn’t well enough to attend I was visited by Dr Payne. He was very kind and also sent me to hospital. Since then he’s been magnificent. If only doctors were able to review patients, perhaps they and their staff wouldn’t have to put up with the abuse and rudeness they do. The reception staff have always been friendly and very helpful - especially when I do things like realise I’ve forgotten to order medication on time then phone up after realising I’ve just ordered the wrong one. Dr Payne has been great. He takes more interest in my well-being than I do - to the extent that he’s sometimes worried I might think he’s harassing me - but it comes from the absolute best of places. The nurses there now are very friendly - the last one I saw, for blood tests, was absolutely great and all the doctors I’ve dealt with are also very helpful so there’s nobody there now that’d make me more keen to avoid the surgery than I am naturally inclined to be. I just felt I should leave a review after reading a negative one here because the receptionists don’t have ‘no qualifications’. The message on the phone system (from Dr Burgess, who could have a second career as a voice artist) makes it quite clear that they have training. You’re not obliged to indicate what the problem is but it’s really helpful to let them triage patients. Several of my close friends are doctors, two of them are GP’s, and they work so hard and are not remunerated anywhere near to the level they deserve to be and there’s a real shortage of medical professionals as a result of Brexit and Covid. They deserve far better pay and conditions, not unappreciative reviews.

The practice is superb. At all times I have been treated with the utmost respect and consideration by all doctors and staff. I have usually been able to get a face to face doctor appointment and if not the doctor has called me back. Overall I cannot fault in any way the running of the practice and the treatment I have received.

I was at the royal infirmary and the doctor there said as soon as you can phone to either speech to the doctor or see the doctor however as per usual I phoned got an other ubrupt reception staff saying my request is not possible then asking me what's wrong with me,one it's none of there business two there are not medically experienced they have no qualifications so there are not intiled to be asking you about your medical problems out and out outrageous.

This is an outstandingly good practice in every way. The building itself is calm but cheerful with a large waiting room. Doctors come to collect patients for their appointments. Receptionists and all admin staff are noticeably professional, helpful, knowledgeable and caring. Nothing is too much trouble for them. The GPs I’ve been treated by are first class. Drs Walker, Lynch and Burgess unfailingly provide the highest standards of care, are compassionate and unfailingly courteous and helpful. I’ve also been helped by their two in-house pharmacists who advised about medication. Both pharmacists were very helpful, extremely knowledgeable and cheerful. Having pharmacists in the practice gives GPs more time so is an effective way to run a practice. Appointments are available to book ahead or can be arranged on the day by phoning at 8am. I’ve always had a call back by 10.30-11am but often the doctor will phone back even earlier. It can take 10 minutes or so to get through as obviously the number is constantly engaged. It’s just a matter of redialling until it connects. A mobile phone is easier to use to do this. I like this service. To be able to talk to a GP within 3 hours of phoning is a great service. Compared with my previous practice, in East Lothian, Braids is so easy to deal with and very successfully delivers the highest level of care. I am most grateful to them.

Used to be able to phone at anytime and arrange a GP appointment which was great. Since COVID they now operate the awful practice whereby you must phone in at 8.00am to get a telephone appointment for that day only. This a dreadful reduction in service to patients and another example of COVID being used worsen everything.

I can't fault this practice at all, when I want an appointment I get one. The treatment I receive when required is first class and all staff couldn't be more efficient in the way they carry out their duties.

You must call in around 8 am for an on the day appointment or phone call. I rang 41 times before eventually getting through at 8.12 am, I did manage to get a phone call by a Doctor that day. On other occasions all appointments have gone by 8.02. The more 'popular' Dr's are booked 2 weeks in advance. Continuity of care is difficult, you just have to take who you can get most times. By the standards of other practices this one seems reasonable, but I am not completely satisfied due to delays in referring on to specialists and some patronising talk by 2 GP's. I have also been offered antidepressants on 3 occasions. It seems to be the default position if you do not seem satisfied with the consultation. On the up side, most of the staff seem kind.