Chigwell Medical Centre

I have been with this surgery over 40 years. The Doctors, passed and present have always been helpful, but the running if the surgery has become diabolical. The practice manager changed an easy to remember phone number, to a high rate number and as it was costing patients a considerable amount of money, there was complaint and he changed the number again. You can’t get through on the phone and while your waiting in a queue you are paying for the call. I wait when I’m 12th in a queue because I need help. Repeat prescriptions are never on time, they leave off part of prescriptions and it’s always a hassle regardless of what we need from the doctor. I asked for a repeat prescription a the chemist 5 days ago, who sent it to the doctor to sign, it should go back to the chemist and my medication is delivered to me. However, I have expected my medication yesterday as I have run out. I phoned the surgery and I was told the doctor needs to assess me on the phone. So why couldn’t he phone me before, when he received my request. However, the doctor phone me but I couldn’t get to the phone in time and he quickly rang off. I have been trying to speak to somebody for 2 hours. Eventually, I was told I am 1 in the queue and after waiting, a message said I should leave a voice mail, I was then told I can’t leave a message as the box is full, phone back later. It’s enough to push you over the edge. A disgraceful way to treat patients who need help for their health. I would change surgeries but keep the doctors if I could. When the extension to the surgery was built. The application was granted on the understanding that the car park would be for patients use. However, it is close to patients and only staff use it, which is extremely inconvenient for disabled drivers who must park and cross a busy road to get to the surgery. The Practice manager and staff let the doctors down.

Website is terrible but the phone system now works, with enormous call queues, be prepared to spend hours of your life on the phone listening to loops... the covid-19 message which goes on for over a minute is delivered in a slow drawl which is infuriating if you happen to have used the defunct test option on their phone system which seems to go nowhere, or called on s day when their cheap IT systems fail. They are probably very busy based on the fact they have exceptionally poor ways to communicate with patients. Clearly need practice management investment! They have managed to mess up my prescription just when I need it most, my tests, and consistently fail to provide any confidence, practice staff clearly in need of all types of training.

I was seen to within 7 minutes and the guy 2 staff i was with were both attentive and well mannered. Everything was explained to me while it was going on and within half an hour I was out of there

Some, not all the doctors, are good. Administration, practice manager, and some of the reception staff are quite unprofessional.

Can only say I am disappointed in this practice. As a practice manager myself I am appalled at the lack of professionalism. A few months ago my granddaughter was unwell with a high fever and she was only 10 months old. They refused to see the child and she ended up being admitted to hospital for 5 days No follow up, no flexibility at helping a distraught mum. This week however my partner was involved in an RTA and has been trying for 3 days to get through on the phone to speak to someone/book an appointment but no one answers. My understanding is you have to offer access by telephone, on line this is clearly not happening. Very poor service and judging by the other reviews they seem to lack compassion. Maybe NHSE need to be notified.