Collingwood Health Group - Ratings and reviews
Reviews
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Review titled Lacking
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 27 June 2023
Ring up and I guarantee you'll be position 49 in the queue. Wait if you want but that'll be 2 hours of your life you won't get back and don't try call back, that never works either. Repeat prescriptions ordered and declined by the GP, no phone call or explanation why. Hours on the phone to be told it was probably just a mistake!! Sadly this mistake leads to several days without medication. Call to make a regular check up appointment for a long term health condition. After waiting 2 hours told by reception they cant makes those appointments and they'll pass a message on. 5 weeks this game went on for and multiple calls made and nobody ever called back. Why not just give the number out because this 'pass a message on' clearly doesn't work. A phlebotomist who doesn't take enough blood for tests to be carried out so that's another appointment. It's sad but I avoid any interaction as much as I can as I'm sure many do. If I'm ill to be honest this is the last place I would turn to. What happened to caring for patients and taking an interest, it's been replaced by commercial goals and growing 'the group'. Contact us on the website is the telephone number only, yep the 2 hour one. Why not engage with your patients more, even a web form for suggestions maybe. How about a patients forum made up of staff, GPs and patients because any feedback falls on deaf ears at the moment. Cue the practice manager who will no doubt defend these points. Does she really exist?!?
Visited June 2023
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 28 June 2023
Dear Anonymous Many thanks for taking time to leave a review. I am sorry to hear of the difficulties you have encountered. We are aware of the issues with regards to our telephone system and are currently in the process of discussing a change of telephone system and provider and we anticipate that this will be changed later in the year. I am sorry to hear that the GP declined your medication request and you were not informed of this, unfortunately anonymous reviews don't provide us with sufficient information to investigate further. I can confirm that the practice has an active patient reference group with regular meetings taking place. If you would like us to investigate your concern further please discuss this with any member of the team and we would be happy to do so. Once again, thank you for taking the time to leave a review and I am sorry your experience of our services were less than satisfactory. Regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Disappointing
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 10 April 2023
I phoned to see if I could get an appointment for my 8 year old as he had been unwell for 4 days. After a considerable wait for a call back, The receptionist couldn’t have been more unhelpful. Told me the next appointment I could book for my son was in 8 days. End of conversation. My issue wasn’t this- although obviously quite a shock to have to wait so long, my issue was with the lack of alternatives. She offered no other options of what to do- I had to keep probing about what I could do to have him seen by a doctor. To be kind I would say she was apathetic, disinterested, or even annoyed I was asking. Surely it’s not difficult for the first person of contact for the surgery to have a level of customer care which would at least demonstrate some form of caring and understanding. It would have taken all of 30 seconds to outline what I could do to get some help. We so rarely contact the surgery, I was left upset and confused about how I get help for a sick child knowing he wasn’t at the stage of needing to go to hospital but needing to get some help to clear up his strep throat. I can’t comment on the doctors - I have always had a good experience in the past when I have visited - it’s the front of house I have the issue with. A bad experience with the first point of contact leaves a bad taste in the mouth. So much so I was compelled to leave this review. I do understand staff are under pressure and under resourced but I would implore the surgery to give proper training to their reception staff and to offer useful practical advice when people phone for help.
Visited April 2023
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 11 April 2023
Dear Patient Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I am so sorry to hear that your experience of our practice has been less than satisfactory. Unfortunately anonymous feedback does not provide us with sufficient information to enable us to fully investigate the matter further. We are keen to use patient experience to help us improve our services and we would be happy to investigate the matter further, if you could be kind enough to contact us direct. Once again, many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. Regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Bad Receptionist
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Kevin Stephenson - Posted on 20 March 2023
I came for app 20 March only to be told it was on 28th March Receptionist said more than once it was 20th Receptionist also said I should go to pharmisy after I told her I had a cough for 2 or 3 month often sever coughing throughout the night and day I had to insist on seeing a doctor Receptionists should not make over the phone diagnosis
Visited March 2023
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 11 April 2023
Dear Kevin Many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I am sorry you felt you have received a less than satisfactory experience. Some of the reception team have undergone additional training and can help to navigate the patient to alternative services such as the pharmacy. I am sorry if you felt that they were offering a diagnosis. Some patients have found the use of the NHS app extremely useful in ordering medication and booking appointments on line, saving the need to contact the practice by telephone. Once again, I am sorry that you felt your experience of our services to be less than satisfactory and would like to thank you for taking the time to leave your review. Many thanks regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Impossible to get help, to the point of being dangerous
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Ruth davidson - Posted on 31 March 2023
Impossible to get help, to the point of being dangerous. I've had a strep a infection for over 3 weeks. I have never been seen by a gp from the surgery, nor would they even speak to me over the phone initially after I'd waited from 47th in the queue to get through. I had to go and buy my own strep a test from a pharmacy and take it to the walk in centre to get treatment. After those antibiotics failed, I again waited on the phone for over an hour to speak to Collingwood, who again refused to see me as I apparently couldn't possibly still have strep. Again I was forced to buy my own Strep a test and called back (yup another hours wait) with the proof I was still positive for strep a. Finally got a doctor callback, from someone who was on the phone to me for less than 2 minutes, refused to let me ask any questions but did send me off with more antibiotics. My third lot of antibiotics are not working. I have severe pain in my joints, chest pain, a very high temp, tonsillitis and difficulty swallowing. I have been off work for nearly a month. Today I contacted the surgery yet again to try and get some help for this horrible infection and excruciating pain that has me bedridden. They have just sent me a message to say that an appointment has been made for me at the hub in 9 days time. Nine! How can someone with a known infection that is not responding to antibiotics, in excruciating pain, and experiencing chest pain & breathlessness (I'm asthmatic) be left for 9 days with no help? Im now forced to go to a walk in centre or a & e, if I want to get any help. Neither of which I can do, because I can barely walk, and I need to be at home to look after my daughter, who unsurprisingly is also now sick after catching strep a off me. No wonder emergency department's and walk in centres are so under pressure, when it's impossible to get anywhere with your own surgery
Visited March 2023
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 11 April 2023
Dear Ruth Many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I am sorry to hear of the difficulties you have encountered. I have shared your comments with the GPs. Unfortunately due to confidentiality we are unable to comment via this method but if you would like us to investigate the matter further please let us know. Once again, we are grateful for you taking the time to leave a review. Many thanks regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Still waiting for call back
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 09 January 2023
I called surgery this morning, just before 9 o clock, rang 5 times to say I was in a queue and then no sound. Eventually got through and I was no 46 in queue, and decided to Press 5 for call back. It is now 17:15 and still waiting. I did call again approx 3:15 to be told same in a queue and to press for call back, still waiting. The message says you will be called back when you’re at the front of the queue, must be a very long queue!!
Visited January 2023
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 11 April 2023
Dear Anonymous Many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I have recently commenced at the practice and realised there were a cohort of reviews not responded to so please accept our apologies. I am sorry to hear of your less than satisfactory experience when contacting the practice. I am aware that the practice has encountered some challenges with the current telephone system and has been restricted by the limitations of the system and current contractual requirements. The practice is looking to replace the telephone system to a cloud based system later this year. This will allow us to monitor our inbound calls more effectively and we are hopeful the system will have a more reliable Q busting facility. Some patients have found the NHS app to be of benefit when ordering medication or booking appointments, therefore reducing the need to telephone the practice. Once again, we are grateful for your time in leaving a review and apologise for the delay in responding. regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Great service
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Sally Booth - Posted on 17 October 2022
I needed a same day appointment for my two year old grandson, I went to the surgery for 8.30am and the receptionist was absolutely brilliant - professional, polite, good natured and friendly. Doctors receptionists do often get a bad press but I was very impressed. Thank you
Visited October 2022
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 11 April 2023
Dear Sally Many thanks for taking the time to leave a review, and I am sorry this was not responded to earlier. I am delighted to hear of your positive experience of our service. Once again, thank you for taking the time to share this. regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Phone call
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Bigbas - Posted on 12 August 2022
I got a message to call the surgery on Friday I started my phone call at 17.00 by 17.25 I was number 4 in the queue at 18.10 the message then told me that the surgery was now closed is this the standard for the practice???
Visited August 2022
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 11 April 2023
Dear Bigbas Many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I have recently commenced at the practice and noticed that a cohort of reviews have not been responded to, so please accept our apologies. I am sorry to hear that your encounter with the practice was less than satisfactory. I am aware that the practice has had some challenges with the current telephone system and have encountered some restrictions due to its limitations. Due to contractual requirements the practice has been unable to source another system at the current time but we are hopeful that this will change around autumn time this year. Please once again our apologies for the delay in responding and thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Good luck trying to get through on the phone
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 06 July 2022
The phone system at this surgery needs major improvements. I have waited in the call queue today for 45 minutes only to be cut off. This isn't the first time this has happened, it is almost impossible to speak with someone urgently. We don't all have time to wait and wait in the queue. The call back system is also a joke. And if you try calling into the surgery itself there is absolutely no privacy when discussing something with the reception staff - everyone in the waiting room can hear what you are talking about. This just isn't good enough - in 2022 we should NOT have to suffer such a poor experience just to get medical advice. I totally sympathise with staffing issues and coming out of covid etc, but when it gets to the stage of simply giving up and self diagnosing this can become very very dangerous.
Visited July 2022
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 11 April 2023
Dear Patient Many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I am sorry this has not been responded to before now. I have recently commenced at the practice and noticed a cohort of reviews not responded to. I am sorry to hear of your less than satisfactory experience with the telephone system. We absolutely understand your frustration. Unfortunately due to contractual requirements we are unable to change the phone system until later this year. The current system has proved challenging on many occasions due to its limitations. The practice is looking at redesigning the reception area as well as the installation of a new telephone system later this year. We do hope that both of these changes will help to improve the patient experience. Some patients have found it more convenient to use the NHS app for booking appointments and ordering medication reducing the need to contact the practice by telephone. Once again thank you for taking the time to leave a review and I am sorry about the delay in responding. regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled d4 medical
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by bigbas - Posted on 04 August 2022
i booked to have a d4 medical completede on 22/07/22 when i got in to see the doctor he checked my medcal records and told me that the form would be filled in that night.i contacted the surgery on monday 1/8/22 to be told that the form was not filled in i explaned that this had to be sent of the reception staff told me that this would be completed asap.i phoned on Wednensday 3/8/22 to see if the form was ready to be picked up i was told that the form was with the doctor.I have phoned today 4/8/22 to be told that the d4 was still not complete and the form is done outside of normal hours what have i paided £80.00 for.
Visited July 2022
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 04 August 2022
Dear bigbas, Thank you very much for your feedback. We value patient feedback as it helps us to improve our services. I'm sorry to hear that you've had problems getting your medical paperwork. We have had a number of clinicians off work with COVID recently which means they are not in work to physically sign and complete the paperwork. The reason this service is a chargeable one is that the work does not form part of the core GP contract and thus is private work that we aren't required to do, but we do so to benefit our patients. Often the only time to complete this is after they've seen their day's worth of patients and in their own time. You will see in comparison to some other surgeries and private medical providers that we offer this service at a much cheaper rate than most. Again I apologise you've had some unavoidable delay in getting your paperwork. If you would like me to look further into the status of your forms please contact the surgery with your actual name and i'll investigate it as a priority. Many thanks, David Pierce, Practice Manager