Linkway Medical Practice - Ratings and reviews
Reviews
-
Review titled Genuinely Don't know where to start
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Helen - Posted on 20 March 2024
I could honestly write a book about all of the negative experiences I have had with the surgery in recent years- which saddens me as I have been with this practice for 30 years or more- when it was originally based as Chronehills and was run by the old practice team My advice would be if you need a Practice in the West Bromwich area- consider everyone else before Linkway. My most recent incident is trying to get through to reception - just like everyone else for an appointment to request an Urgent Cardiology appointment at the qe. 3 days is took me to get through- totaling almost 15 hours waiting time in the queue. Then to be told there's no bookable appointments until the end of April. On discussing the urgency of the referral needed I given an appointment for the following Monday . On speaking to the Dr she advised she would complete the referral that day and send it marked urgent. I have received confirmation of the referral sent in the post today- Not to the Cardiologists at the qe - but to ear nose and throat at City Hospital. in fact whilst writing this review the secretaries rang me once and hung up- I rang them straight back only to be put on hold by the secretary that rang me !!!! I am 12th in the queue!!! On another occasion my Vit B12 and folate was dangerously low and I was repeat advised by the surgery I should just have another blood test in 3 months - despite me sharing the NICE guidelines stating I should commence Vit B12 injections immediately. I have had numerous occasions whereby the surgery have stopped my repeat medications without telling me- I am diabetic and take blood thinners. This is dangerous practice, coupled with the time it takes to et through to the surgery to rectify anything. I take anti hypertensives as my bp is constantly high and has been for the past 18 years- despite asking numerous times I am not under the care of a physician at the hospital for this- and fully expect to have a stroke or heart attack at some point. My point is this- if you want an easy , un stressful gp experience. Linkway is not the way to go. I work within the nhs myself and understand the pressures that the system is under- however this does not excuse the rudeness, poor service and dangerous practice I have observed. & even if you try to escalate this internally through the complaints procedure- you don't receive the form they promise to send. After much consideration I am taking a leaf of faith (more of desperation) and moving myself and family to another practice. I will also then be submitting all of my concerns in a formal way to nhs England. Really hoping our new experience will be more positive, but honestly we have nothing to lose as it cant be any worse.
Visited February 2024
Linkway Medical Practice has not yet replied.
-
Review titled Could not get appointment
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 02 March 2024
I have been holding the phone for1 hour 39 minutes and when call joined the receptionist answers and cuts off straight away. Tried to book online but there is no appointment from last 3 weeks. So very disappointed.
Visited February 2024
Linkway Medical Practice has not yet replied.
-
Review titled Receptionists
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 09 February 2024
The receptionist was so awful, rude and dismissive towards me today to the extent that I ended up crying in the doctors surgery. Her mannerism, tone of voice, and not bothered attitude is truly shocking. She is plain uncaring, condescending and sarcastic. I was simply asking her a perfectly valid question in a soft voice and as she raised her voice continually giving me the same answer I said to her that I wasn't looking for an argument. She just carried on tapping on her computer keyboard and ignored me. The answer she gave me to my question I believe was not entirely true hence why I proceeded to ask her a further question. When I sat down in the waiting room behind another patient he turned around and said that he cannot believe the way she spoke to me. Can somebody please reply and let me know how I can proceed with this further. Thank you.
Visited February 2024
Linkway Medical Practice has not yet replied.
-
Review titled Nightmare
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Jaroslaw Boryczka - Posted on 19 February 2024
This place should be closed asap-it's impossible to book an appointment either over the phone or online-if you're working and need to see a doctor or nurse you have to lose all day at work I'm a diabetic on repeated prescriptions and yet cannot book my prescriptions on-line as their system says I need to see a doctor or nurse-trying to ring them to book an appointment and after 90 min waiting in the queue they hang on-3 or 4 person sitting in reception doing nothing
Visited February 2024
Linkway Medical Practice has not yet replied.
-
Review titled Terrible Service
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 01 March 2024
It is next to impossible to book an appointment here. You can't book an appointment online despite it saying you can. You are told to call in at 8am to book an appointment and often times the queue of 15 callers are full and your call is terminated, and when you finally call back in the next 5 minutes you would be lucky if you're caller no. 15. By the time you get to the front of the queue you have most likely spent an hour waiting only to be turned down within seconds telling you everything is booked and you have to call in the next day. You can't even ask if there's available bookings for atleast a phone call in the upcoming weeks because it's been booked, completely defeating the purpose of calling in at 8am if everything is already booked weeks in advance. I haven't been able to get a hold of my GP for almost 2 months and I need medication review as I cannot access it without the GP.
Visited February 2024
Linkway Medical Practice has not yet replied.
-
Review titled Super friendly reception staff
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Isobel Whitehouse - Posted on 11 January 2024
I am neurodivergent and struggle with verbal communication. Because of this I am unable to book appointments over the phone - I understand this is the general way of booking gp appointments across uk nhs services - so I got the courage to go into the gp to request an appointment. I had written down what I wished to say and was nervous, but the woman on the reception was super understanding, she gave me the time and space to speak the little words I could stutter, without rushing me, and read what I had written. I felt truly listened to and gradually felt more comfortable. I was able to get an appointment and she even wrote it on a piece of paper so I wouldn't forget it. I cannot thank her enough, as she didn't have to take her time to hear me out but she did and she did it with so much care. I understand it is hard to get an appointment and that online methods of booking aren't accessible, but that is a nation wide issue. This is the only gp that has truly listened to my needs and accommodated me, so thank you.
Visited January 2024
Linkway Medical Practice has not yet replied.
-
Review titled Friendly and supportive of needs
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Isobel Whitehouse - Posted on 25 January 2024
Visit on 25/01/2024 After having previously been to the gp to request an appointment - I needed to make the request in person, due to disabilities that make it difficult for me to communicate - I was welcomed by the same receptionist. She, again, made me feel super comfortable and remembered me, making it easy to sign in with minimal stress. I was even more pleasantly surprised at the comfort I felt talking to the doctor. They didn't rush me and reassured me of what I was communicating to ensure they had accurately understood me and were clear about what they were going to do and when. They were kind and not as severe and stern as many doctors I've seen in the past, which made it so much easier to communicate and feel heard. I can't thank this gp surgery enough, as traumatic experiences in the past provoked a lot of fear in me surrounding gp's, but slowly, their kind staff are helping me build that trust up again, and for that, I am more than grateful.
Visited January 2024
Linkway Medical Practice has not yet replied.
-
Review titled 2.5 hours Call Wait
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 29 January 2024
2.5hrs wait for a call to be answered, zero appointments available. However when attending site - surgeries are empty with no phone lines ringing. Assuming calls are deliberately left unanswered.
Visited January 2024
Linkway Medical Practice has not yet replied.
-
Review titled Poor staff attitude
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 30 October 2023
Try to talk to the staff on prescription matters but the staff did not want to listen to my wife properly and thought she did not know what she was talking about yet my wife worked in pharmacy for long time. Staff needs to be trained how to deal with patients on the phone instead mumbling on the background.
Visited October 2023
Linkway Medical Practice has not yet replied.
-
Review titled You cannot get an appointment
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 06 October 2023
It is totally and utterly impossible to get an appointment here. If you phone as directed at 8.00, you are placed in a queue which when eventually reach the end of you are told there are no appointments available. I have also been told to log on at 12.00am the time online appointments are released , which I have done numerous times only to find there are no appointments available here either. Why on earth do they think 12.00am is an appropriate time to be asking patients to be logging on to try and get their appointments? The last 4 times I have phoned I have been told to go to A and E or the walk in centre. So save yourself the stress and the time phone 111 and bypass this place altogether altleast you get to see a doctor. This is the worst doctors I have ever experienced .
Visited October 2023
Linkway Medical Practice has not yet replied.