DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE - Ratings and reviews
Reviews
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Review titled A practice with issues in many areas
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Simon - Posted on 15 June 2023
I have some kind of ear infection and waited until it had been over a week before contacting the practice using the Engage Consult service. Unlike other surgeries which have this service available 24x7, Downlands for some reason only have this available 0700-1000 Tuesday to Thursday and 9 times out of 10 the response comes from another surgery within the Primary Care Network. The only available appointment option from Engage Consult was a phone appointment and from that call I was prescribed a course of antibiotics for the diagnosed ear infection. Bear in mind this was not a video call. I was told to contact again for an in person appointment if the symptoms did not clear or if they got worse. I have now completed the course of antibiotics and the symptoms have not cleared so called up at 0830 on the dot to be told I was 45th in the queue. At 0930 the call was answered and I attempted to get an in person appointment as instructed but was told no appointments and to call again tomorrow at 0830. I expect the situation will be the same when I call tomorrow morning. The practice at the beginning of May had over 10,000 patients registered and the website showing 6 GPs, one of which works part time roughly 0.5 Fte (Full Time Equivalence), the other 5 work 4 days in the practice which is 0.8 Fte. which is essentially 4.5 Fte GPs, this means there are roughly 2,200 patients per Fte GP. Despite this they are still registering new patients. The service of late has got progressively worse and borders on non-existent for a large portion of that time. Annual check ups for a chronic condition I have are not booked nor are the regular blood tests that should apparently take place. I do not believe that a new medical centre merging the practice with the nearby one will make much difference to this as we will still have a hugely oversubscribed combined practice.
Visited June 2023
Review titled DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE
Replied on 20 June 2023
We are sorry to hear of your bad experience. Please contact the Practice Manager to discuss this further.
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Review titled Terrible service too many patients
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 04 May 2023
It is impossible to get through for an appointment, I called at 8.29 and was caller 25 in the que. There are too many patients and there seems to be no limit on how many they take on. You can only book via phone, you used to be able call in the morning for morning appointments and afternoon for afternoon appointments but they have stopped this which means you have no hope now of seeing anyone. If you do manage to get an appointment it's always a different doctor so they don't actually know you, you are just a number out of thousands!! You will hold for an hour to be told there are no appointments left, why not have a cut off eg if there are only 25 appointments and I'm caller no. 26 divert me to a msg to say its not worth holding!! When I have managed to get through I get asked if it is an urgent doctors appointment??? What is considered an urgent doctors appointment? If you want to book in advance we are talking 6-8 weeks. Don't know what has changed since covid but I always thought this was a great surgery but since they shut their doors during that time something changed. There should be a limit on patients or no one is getting use of their doctors!!!
Visited May 2023
Review titled DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE
Replied on 20 June 2023
We are sorry to hear of your bad experience. Please contact the Practice Manager to discuss this further.
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Review titled Impossible to see a doctor
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 03 February 2023
I’ve not seen a doctor in over 4 years - despite trying to. I now have an ear infection/ deafness and tried calling 111. They put through a referral to Downlands, but Downlands said they can’t accept the referral as they don’t have the capacity. So my deafness will now go without proper treatment. I’m now going to have to cancel my endoscopy referral to the hospital as I’m not having that done with so much pain in my ear!! I want to deal with one thing at a time! The nurses and doctors are very good/helpful, but how can a GP surgery have so many patients that local residents like me can never get to see a doctor!
Visited January 2023
Review titled DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE
Replied on 20 June 2023
We are sorry to hear of your bad experience. Please contact the Practice Manager to discuss this further.
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Review titled overall good doctors
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 07 November 2022
yes, the phone lines like any practice are bad, but no one i know has a doctor that's any better. So as annoying as it is it's not a problem just here. The staff are always very helpful and do as much as they can to try and sort out what you need. The doctors have always been very helpful and listen to what the issue is and what you want to do about it, the best way for you. i have been registered with Quintin's doctors before and i would 100% use downlands every time over them.
Visited November 2022
Review titled DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE
Replied on 07 August 2023
Dear Patient. Thank you for your comments and we are pleased to learn of your positive experience of using the medical services provide by Downlands Medical Centre. We are very grateful for you taking the time to highlight your feedback.
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Review titled Disappointing
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anne Bolland - Posted on 27 October 2022
I am a carer my husband has dementia. I Telephoned at 8.30 and waited 1hour 40 minutes to arrange an appointment for my husband but was only to be told there were no appointments left and my choices were to ring again the next day or ring 111. If I rang next day there was no guarantee I would wait again on the phone without success
Visited October 2022
Review titled DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE
Replied on 27 October 2022
We are sorry to learn of your dissatisfaction with the service provided by Downlands Medical Centre. Please contact the Practice Manager or Assistant Practice Manager if you would like to discuss your complaint further. You can email us at sxicb-esx.downlandsmedicalcentre@nhs.net
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Review titled Extremely frustrating phoning in
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 30 September 2022
I needed to call in but was in the queue for 1hr 50 mins. I started at no3 and was no1 for an hour. Your previous responses state you are over stretched and at max staffing levels to receive calls. These are blatant lies and excuses. How can you be at max staffing levels and not be able to deal with 3 phone calls in 2hrs? Your automated message states (every 10 seconds) that my call is very important to you, obviously not!
Visited September 2022
Review titled DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE
Replied on 27 October 2022
Dear Anonymous, we are sorry to learn of your dissatisfaction with the service provided by Downlands Medical Centre. Please contact the Practice Manager or Assistant Practice Manager if you would like to discuss your complaint further. You can email us at sxicb-esx.downlandsmedicalcentre@nhs.net
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Review titled My Parents Surgery Needs Great Improvement..........
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 16 August 2022
My review is not about the staff or medical practitioners. Phoning into this surgery is a major problem as you have to wait about 40 minutes each time. It is very off putting. I am not a patient at this surgery and would not want to be because of the former. I have to phone them on behalf of my very elderly parents who have medical issues. The outgoing message is over a minute long before you can speak to anyone, my own surgery answers my call in 20 seconds. Big difference. In waiting for my previous calls to be answered, I've started at no.26 in queue, when I have reached no.1 I have then had the phone put down and then on the hook. Today I gave up after 20 minutes, and then tried again only to wait on a different line for another 25 minutes. It has happened numerous times. The Reception clearly needs more staff but at any rate needs re-organising. The place also needs updating, there's a sense of things being "antiquated". The staff, GP's and nurses/nurse specialists are great though.
Visited August 2022
Review titled DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE
Replied on 22 August 2022
Dear Anonymous, We are sorry to learn of your dissatisfaction with the service provided by Downlands Medical Centre. Twice during the Pandemic, we increased the number of incoming telephone lines to the Practice to aid patients in contacting the surgery. We are now at maximum level for current staff levels to answer calls as our existing premises preclude us from recruiting. For 20 years we have been endeavoring to secure a new medical Centre for Polegate. We would love to be working in updated premises. We have accommodated all we can in to the limited space we have to work in, with our growing patient list. Until we manage to secure our new medical Centre, sadly service levels will fall below that which we would like to offer to our patients. We do provide other means of contacting the practice, email, ENGAGE consultations, online appointment booking for flu clinics please see our website for more details. Please contact the Practice Manager or Assistant Practice Manager if you would like to discuss your complaint further. All our calls are recorded. We can always look to see what the issues are with any call in particular. Thank you for your comments regarding the staff and Clinicians at the Practice we appreciate this.
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Review titled Shameful
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 26 July 2022
When contacting the surgery like everyone else I had to queue I was number 32 when I joined Eventually when I did get through this I explained the problem I had with receptionist told me that The doctor would phone me back the following day any time during the day I sat in all day waiting for his call back they did not contact me there seems to be a problem in the surgery and I need to sort it
Visited July 2022
Review titled DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE
Replied on 09 August 2022
Dear Anonymous, We are sorry to learn of your dissatisfaction with the service provided by Downlands Medical Centre. Please contact the Practice Manager or Assistant Practice Manager if you would like to discuss your complaint further.
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Review titled Thank you for help with prescription
Rated 4 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 20 June 2022
negatives 55 min to try and get through on general line Positives - prescription help with emergency script fantastic by staff once got through many thanks
Visited June 2022
Review titled DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE
Replied on 22 August 2022
Dear Anonymous Thank you for your review. We are glad we could help you with your prescription. Sorry you had a long wait to get through to us. We have increased our telephone lines twice in the last couple of years and introduced a new phone system. Please feel free to contact the Practice Manager or Assistant Practice Manager if you would like to go through the alternative ways of contacting us. Thank you very much for the positive review of our staff. They have worked extremely hard through the pressures of the last few years and the new pressures that post Covid is presenting us with.