St James Medical Centre - Ratings and reviews
Reviews
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Review titled Great practice
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 09 December 2023
Always found all staff Receptionist, Doctors and nurses friendly and willing to help in any way possible, I've never had a bad experience and i have been with st james surgery for many years
Visited November 2023
Review titled St James Medical Centre
Replied on 11 December 2023
Thank you for taking the time to provide the practice with your feedback. All members of the practice team work extremely hard. We are really happy that you have had this experience, as this is what we always strive to achieve. I will share your feedback with the practice team. Tracey Pike Practice Manager
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Review titled Prompt and Efficient
Rated 4 stars out of 5
by Sandra Patterson - Posted on 31 July 2023
Following on from my previous review it was necessary for my daughter to see a Dr. After the initial telephone consultation, she was seen, assessed, diagnosed and treatment prescribed. Therefore the advice given by the receptionist was not the correct (to see a pharmacist). This highlights the safety issue of receptionists giving out clinical advice to patients. The system seemed very efficient once the receptionist had arranged the telephone consultation and that I can not fault, and thank you so much to the Dr who saw her.
Visited July 2023
Review titled St James Medical Centre
Replied on 02 August 2023
Thank you for taking the time to provide the practice with your feedback. I am pleased that you found the service efficient. The reception team have a protocol to direct patients to the most appropriate service or healthcare professional. This allows the practice to manage the demand with the available GP capacity which is limited due to the issues of recruiting GPs to replace those which have left the practice. As a practice we will be discussing this feedback with the team to learn from this. Tracey Pike Practice Manager
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Review titled Frustrating and unsafe
Rated 4 stars out of 5
by Sandra Patterson - Posted on 31 July 2023
My daughter rang to get some advice suffering with a very sore throat, swollen painful neck and jaw despite 48 hours of analgesia back to back, so much so she is unable to go to work today. She was triaged by who I thought was a nurse and advised to go to a pharmacist! After taking over the conversation I asked if I was speaking to a nurse I was in fact speaking to a receptionist. Are these receptionist trained and qualified in triaging patients needs and to make the decision whether a Dr is needed? I am a qualified nurse and understand the pressures of the NHS and try to avoid using the services unless really necessary. I can now understand why our ED department is so busy if you have unqualified people triaging patients at the point of contact, when all people want is a Dr or nurses advise. We wanted a clinician's opinion. After I explained the symptoms in more detail and my profession she then managed to arrange a telephone consultation. This I believe is unsafe practice having unqualified untrained people triaging people over the phone who are unwell or could potentially become very unwell.
Visited July 2023
Review titled St James Medical Centre
Replied on 02 August 2023
Thank you for taking the time to provide the practice with your feedback. All NHS services are struggling with increased demands and like many practices we also have the additional issue of not being able to recruit GPs to replace those which have retired, which means there is limited capacity which we need to manage. The impact that this has is that we as a practice like many others have to direct patients to other services. One such Service is the GP Community Referral Scheme – details about this can be found on this web link. GP Community Pharmacy consultation service (Think Pharmacy) - NHS Somerset. The reception team have a list of minor aliments which can be safely referred to this scheme and when the pharmacist sees or speaks to the patients ( on the same day) and they need to be seen by a GP, the pharmacist will contact the practice directly, therefore ensuring the patient gets the most appropriate treatment by the most appropriate healthcare professional. It does sound like the referral to the scheme was not as it should be which I will liaise with the reception team to ensure any training needs are fulfilled. Thank you for highlighting this issue to the practice. Tracey Pike Practice Manager
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Review titled Extremely frustrated.
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 26 May 2023
I went into the practice on a Friday afternoon to ask for an emergency prescription having been told by the pharmacy that my medication was unavailable & to ask for an alternative dosage of the same tablets. I had ordered in plenty of time, but on the first attempt to collect was told the meds weren’t ready & on returning that they were unavailable. I was told be the receptionist that I would have to ring 111 to get an emergency prescription as the systems were down, on asking whether I could leave a request that the script was done when the systems were up she said no, the doctors had advised people to contact out of hours….
Visited May 2023
Review titled St James Medical Centre
Replied on 30 May 2023
We are sorry you feel this way, the advise you have been given was correct . The issues continued over the weekend and we were unable to action any requests. As frustrating as this maybe, it would be unsafe and irresponsible for us to take your request without any means to action it.
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Review titled Great doctors, absolutely woeful booking system
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 19 May 2023
The administrative function of St James Medical Centre has, in recent years, closely followed the trajectory of the Titanic. And it appears to be currently at the bit where the front's snapped off and it's belly up in the Arctic Circle. The first online booking system was bad. But the latest iteration is possibly one of the most awful digital experiences, nay, experiences, known to humankind. Firstly, it's impossible to use. Asks 307 questions for even the simplest task (a fair few of which seem even more bewilderingly irrelevant than the 111 'Are you bleeding profusely from the head?'). Secondly, it doesn't work. Most journeys lead to a dead end. And even if you do successfully complete the Herculean task of asking for a blood test/appointment/call back/a medical professional to grace you with their time, it doesn't actually appear that your request goes anywhere. So, you're back clinging to that door that Kate Winslet won't let you climb on. As someone with a lifelong, autoimmune condition requiring regular tests and doctors appointments, but also someone young enough to own a computer, this is, in all sincerity and White Star Line references aside, so unbelievably painful. Please stop this experiment. There just aren't enough lifeboats to keep going.
Visited May 2023
St James Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled Useless.
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 23 March 2023
Unable to get appointments, unable to speak to receptionist, unable to obtain results. No staff, No Doctors that work over 2 or 3 days of the week. Not just at the moment either been going on for a couple of years now. Just get constant messages saying staff shortages/ sickness and they are sorting it out (joke). I think they have taken on too many patients for the practice to handle ( They obviously get more funding the more patients they have on the books)!
Visited March 2023
St James Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled Uphill Struggle
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 15 February 2023
Accessing this surgery has become more and more difficult. The prescription line is now only open between 10.30 - 12.15 pm, and a member of staff can be very condescending. If you have a morning to spare, trying getting a telephone consultation with the doctor, if you can get enough "points" for one via the receptionist! Who may also give you a lecture on "why didn't use the Klinik form online and she will have to fill it out herself anyway". I cannot fault the medical staff, when you are allowed to access them! I feel extremely sorry for elderly people who have to go through this process. This surgery used to be excellent, but alas no more.
Visited February 2023
St James Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled Responsive, caring, person-centred practice
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Ann Fulton - Posted on 08 January 2023
Having been referred by 111, the Practice proforma followed by doctor telephone consultation and subsequently face to face consultation seemed really good system. After telephone consultation I was seen promptly in what felt an unhurried consultation despite enormous pressures on the service. Very kind and person-centred too.
Visited December 2022
St James Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled Great care
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Emma - Posted on 30 December 2022
Filled out the online form this morning, and was phoned by 9:30 by the kindest paramedic practitioner Mark. He was patient and listened to what I had to say. After a short conversation he booked me in to see him the same afternoon, where he was again very kind and caring. Made me feel at ease and gave me some great advice. Left the practice feeling a lot more relaxed about my symptoms than before going in. I didn’t feel rushed at all in my appointment time and he was happy to discuss all my concerns! Not been seen by him before, but would definitely be happy to be seen again! Have to say as well, I previously phoned on the Thursday to try and make an appointment and the reception team were very friendly and helpful in how I could get an appointment sooner than a routine one.
Visited December 2022
St James Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled Great practice and doctor
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Kay markham - Posted on 19 December 2022
I really want to thank all at st James/orchard for all your hard work(during these hard times) but a special thanks to the doctor I spoke to today, thank you for being kind and understanding.. hope you all have an amazing Christmas and new year..
Visited December 2022
St James Medical Centre has not yet replied.