Ashdown Forest Health Centre

Ashdown Forest Health Centre 2016-09-02 Person 3 5 0

The doctors are wonderful but the booking system - or the ability to get bookings - is very poor, which impacts in turn on the receptionists whose unfortunate job it is to deal with patients trying to get bookings. I am sure my experience this morning is not untypical - going online at 6.50 am to find only one appointment during the whole day for any doctor, which had gone by the time I checked if I could make it. Then I was on the phone for 30 mins from surgery opening at 8.30 am only to be told when I finally got through that there were no appointments left for the day. I realise what underlies this is the universal NHS problem of inexorable demand meeting more or less fixed supply. Yet there is something wrong when it's easier to get your dog an appointment at the vet than it is for you to see a doctor when you need to.

Ashdown Forest Health Centre 2016-09-01 Person 5 5 0

I have been a patient of this surgery for 22 years and was surprised to read negative reviews about Reception staff and difficulty obtaining an appointment. I think the surgery operates an excellent system that enables one to telephone when the surgery opens in the morning and obtain a same day appointment. Granted it may not be with a particular Dr. of your choice but they are all more than competent and qualified and at least one gets an appointment that day, which, if the need is urgent, is surely the objective. Also I've always found the Reception staff to be courteous and understanding in what must be quite a stressful job.

Ashdown Forest Health Centre 2016-08-11 Person 1 5 0

The service of this GP is shocking. Over the last 9 years I have been coming here, the service is definitely at its worst - and even by their good standards they were pretty bad. I've been trying for over a week (11 days) to get an appointment after work due to a serious/urgent problem I need to get medical attention for, it isn't quite worth wasting A&E's time and would like to see a GP who knows me and the issue at hand. Alas, this surgery can't even offer me a phone call. The receptionists have been nothing but rude and arrogant, and have absolutely no idea on how to manage a situation with a customer who is angry and distressed. Over my last 9 years of being a patient here, I have seen my assigned GP around 3 times. Baring in mind I've been to this surgery a lot regarding a respiratory condition I have which requires frequent appointments - I never see the same doctor regarding my issue. Whenever I have a 'follow up' I end up repeating everything I said to the last doctor and getting a completely different outcome. Its confusing and completely unsettling. On many, many occasions over the last 9 years, I have struggled to get appointments at this surgery. This has been echoed today, when the receptionists tell me to 'just take a day off work' - I can't afford to, I'm tight on my money to pay my rent, I can't afford to take time off to come to your surgery. There is never any evening appointments, there is never any morning appointments. And when you do get an appointment you usually wait an added extra of 40/50 minutes to see your doctor who will rush you in and out within a matter of 5 minutes. When offered a saturday morning service, I was then told I wouldn't be able to do the weekend coming I'd have to wait until the following week to get my urgent situation seen to. In the end I called another surgery to ask for their assistance and they were nothing but compliant and helping to take a patient who was greatly distressed and put me at ease in their service.

Ashdown Forest Health Centre 2016-06-14 Person 3 5 0

I've been seeing Drs Baxter, Baisley and Macdonald over the past six months and all have been fantastic. However purely a minor error in working out days remaining for the tablets (probably my fault and the computer due to me having several apts in the last couple weeks) I am required to take every twelve hours has caused world war three between myself and the receptionist behind the desk ( her manner and tone are absolutely deplorable. Working as a manager in a high caliber hotel, I would have immediately shown her the door if she was one of my members of staff! Doctor Baxter if you see this (and I really hope you do, please can you contact me regarding my prescription, as after checking there is no way I can stretch it to the 13th July, it will take less than a minute to speak to you , and As long as it takes to run a script through your printer to resolve this.

Ashdown Forest Health Centre 2016-06-02 Person 5 5 0

I have been a patient of the practice since I was a child and have always received wonderful care from all the staff. The doctors and nurses have always been very understanding and always explain all options available to me. The reception staff have always been polite and helpful and always try to make appointments convenient to me which I am very grateful.