Ashdown Forest Health Centre

Lewes Road, Forest Row, E Sussex, England, RH18 5AQ 76 reviews

Reviews

Recommend
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12th March 2024


Everyone at the Surgery are always very helpful, kind & considerate. Thank you to all the staff at Ashdown Forest Health Centre.

Suggested improvements
I can’t think of anything

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6th March 2024


I wanted to provide some feedback as a surgery patient wanting an appointment. I phoned yesterday morning to make an appointment for my daughter (grown up) as she was unable to call at 8.30. It took me 15 calls before I got passed the engaged tone and then 15 minutes waiting to speak to a receptionist, only to be told all appointments had gone and I should call that after noon or the following morning. I can forgive the half an hour process but with out any progress, only to start another half and hour process again with no guarantee of a different outcome is not acceptable and not inclusive.

Suggested improvements
A few things that may have made it better: When I first made it past the engaged tone, the first recorded message was not that I was in the queue but 'since the beginning of the pandemic' I thought I had been pushed back to the beginning again and so hung up to try again (making it 16 calls). It would help to immediately be told you are in a queue or have music. The message of 'since the pandemic' really annoyed me and if anything was going to make me difficult with your staff it was that, quite ironic!! The pandemic was 4 years ago, it is not OK to use this terminology anymore, there is a big campaign that organisations should not be using this as an excuse anymore. If 4 years have passed and your systems have not changed to cope with the change that that is on you not the pandemic any more. You could argue that message is OK, just with out the pandemic bit. You receptionist was polite and efficient, but asking your staff to turn people away expecting them to run the same gauntlet again the same day or next day is not fair on them or the patient. The process of phoning at 8 30 (or 1.30) which over the years in my experience usually does take the full 30 minutes is prohibitive to anyone who is feeling very unwell, has mental health challenges, is working, has children to take on a school run. It is not inclusive and must stop, we shouldn't have to fight to get a GP appointment. Another of your recorded messages speaks of 'online consultation'. I have used the form before and I think the term 'online consultation' is misleading as it is missing the word 'form'. I once hung up my phone wait to try it and was disappointed and lost my place in the queue! In can be a useful tool, although hard to navigate when you symptoms don't match the questions. Personally some calm music with the phone queue count down would be preferable to constant talking or messages. I don't know if you have ever tried to get an appointment, if you haven't it would be a valuable experience to try. I am not one to be a complainer, I do not rewrite this for me but for those who feel what I have described every time they need to get an GP appointment but do not have the strength of voice to say how they feel.

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25th January 2024


over 10 minutes before phone answered - i can understand that you are busy, but having to listen to the same message droning on and on is not good

Suggested improvements
Shorten the message, a lot of it is now redundant, change teh voice and change the music.

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20th December 2023


I have had acute gastrointestinal problems for 16 days and are thus feeling extremely unwell. When I had the embarrassment of submitting a stool sample the receptionist pulled a disgusted face, asked me to make sure the bag was closed properly and then went to get a large yellow bin, which she held up in front of the full waiting room, and asked me to throw it in. I felt utterly humiliated and left the surgery in tears. I then got a text to say my results were normal. I rang to ask if the doctor would therefore need to speak to me to decide what to do next. The lady I spoke to was very rude and said ‘no why would they?’ I explained that I still had gastroenteritis and just wondered if the doctor had noted a treatment plan. To which she replied angrily ‘can you imagine us having a treatment plan for everyone we do tests on. Do you know how many we do?’ I explained again that I still had symptoms even though the Giardia results were negative. She then said ‘well you need to see a doctor then. Call back tomorrow’ I worked in the veterinary field for 30 years. My daughter works in the NHS. I understand how things work in a busy GP practice but I still think patients deserve to be treated with respect and empathy. We are not all wasting the doctors time. I have been polite and patient in every interaction I have had with all staff. I have not at any point been rude or demanding.

Suggested improvements
Been more professional and empathetic. Not reacted to an ‘unpleasant sample’ knowing how embarrassing it is for the patient. To not be dismissive and discourteous when a patient suggests that the doctor might have written a treatment plan in the notes. I was not rude, I merely suggested that the doctor might have noted what to do if the Giardia test came back negative.

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5th November 2023


After recently moving from a "multi" practice surgery, my recent blood test at this surgery has revealed that I have a B12 deficiency. This was expertly explained to my by Dr Fyfe and relevant injections booked in and the first administered on 3rd November, the day after my telephone conversation with my Doctor, so dealt with very quickly . I had put most of the symptoms of this condition down to getting older, but I now know I have had this condition for many years which was never picked up by anyone else. With the diagnosis and relevant medication I am looking forward to feeling a whole lot better. Excellent service and care.

Suggested improvements
You have got everything just right, contact with me as a patient, and polite and friendly reception staff.

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Resources

Short link to review Ashdown Forest Health Centre: http://iwgc.net/ecckj