Frome Medical Centre
Enos Way, Frome, Somerset, BA11 2FHContact details and opening times
Patient ratings and reviews
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Reviews
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Review titled Quick response
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 21 December 2022
Phoned 8.10am requested call back. 9.20 received call back by care navigator. I was given 2 names of GP , one who will call within 2 hours for further discussion. Received GP call 10.20am, for further discussion and prescription was arranged for collection. Much better service, unlike a previous call ,6 months ago, to the appointment system, which was a very long queue with no results
Visited December 2022
Review titled Frome Medical Centre
Replied on 22 December 2022
We have recently invested in a cloud based telephony service which has enabled us to introduce the call back function and allowed patients to maintain their call queue position We know from feedback this has been really helpful for many and we appreciate you taking time to feedback and let us know this was positive for you. We appreciate the demand for services can be more than the capacity available on the day for routine appointments and we are sorry your previous experience wasn't so positive. Please be assured you can call for urgent on the day at any time
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Review titled horrendous booking system
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 19 December 2022
So many people have written here about the difficulties your booking system causes absolutely anyone who needs to be able to plan ahead and can't for whatever reason give up a whole day to work their way through the various waits it requires - possibly with no appointment at the end of them - that it seems pointless to add another one. But in the hope that sheer numbers might make a difference: I'm writing this at 3 o'clock and have been waiting for the call back I requested shortly after 8 and that your recorded messages promise. I can only assume at this stage it isn't going to come as I know most of the day's bookings are dealt with in the morning. I last saw a GP five months ago, after a maddening few weeks of experiences exactly as so many have described here. The condition I had then continues and is getting worse and it is purely down to your booking system that I have left it another five months. What adds to the frustration is the fact that the information given on your website, by your recorded messages and even by your staff about booking is simply not correct. The last two times I saw a GP they advised me to go online at midnight. I told them that I knew from experience that it was not possible to book a GP this way and they assured me it was. I tried again last night, having also read on your website that it was possible - it wasn't. Last week I saw a nurse who felt I needed to see a doctor. I explained my unwillingness and she sympathised about the wait but said that once you were in the queue you would definitely receive a call - again I had to tell her that on several occasions I've simply been told that there are no more appointments that day. This is a familiar and much talked about experience in Frome. She had no idea and said she had been told by management only that morning that it was not the case. Someone has taken the time to write considered and sympathetic responses to the frustration and distress expressed in these reviews, and yet even in these responses there is the same incorrect advice about booking online before 8, or in the middle of the night, or ringing immediately at 8, call backs etc etc. Today I rang repeatedly from exactly 8 and for the first 10 minutes there was a recorded message simply saying we are unable to take your call, please ring back later. I think it's important for the management to understand that for people suffering a chronic condition, or suspecting they may have a condition but not sure about it are those most likely to be put off using the service after repeated failures to get through. While one could argue that these are not the most serious cases, they could well be cases that could become so if not diagnosed. As with practically everyone else who has left a review here, my complaint has absolutely nothing to do with the service offered by staff, but simply with the booking system which makes getting access to those staff so frustrating and on many occasions impossible.
Visited November 2022
Review titled Frome Medical Centre
Replied on 27 February 2023
Apologies for the late response to this feedback. Sadly as your review is annoymous we are unable to contact you to discuss the issues you are haivng. It is possible to book online for a GP appointment and it would be helpful to speak directly to understand why this isny working for you. You mention serious health issues. Please be assured if anyone phones in with an urgent health issue they will always been seen by our Duty Team. We are like many practices due to recruitment and absences unable to cope with the demand we have on some days. We appreciate this is frustrating. However if you read this response please contact us directly so we can look at how we can support you to get the access you need.
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Review titled Exceptional care
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Jennifer - Posted on 10 November 2022
I just wanted to praise everyone who works at Frome Medical centre, I’ve always received the most exceptional care. From the nurse who supported me through my Fibroadenoma and made me feel comforted and confident I was getting the best care, to the mental health team to GP’s who always do as much as they can with the limited time they have. I really don’t think you get the recognition you deserve
Visited November 2022
Review titled Frome Medical Centre
Replied on 10 November 2022
Dear Jennifer, that is a lovely review to receive. Thank you for taking the time to share. It really helps with the morale of the team in these challenging times.
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Review titled Odds on getting though is slim to none
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 13 October 2022
While I appreciate everyone is in a tricky situation with funding and staffing, gaining access to see a doctor is nigh on impossible. I have no complaints about the staff or care once you are lucky enough to get in. You are entered into the appointment lottery where so many people call in the morning, unless you call by 08:05, you will not get an appointment. I have family members who no longer call for a doctor as they dont have the energy to be doing this day after day to get an appointment. One is now self medication on co-codamol as they cannot refer to a GP after 3 days as they cannot get an appointment. The final straw for them was recently being told at 08:20 that there were no more appointments. I no longer call as I dont have the time what with kids to get to school and work. I spent 56 minutes in a queue of 19 people this afternoon to book a titration nurse - and I put that off for a few weeks as I didn't have the time or energy to be in a queue. I thought 16:00 on a Thursday afternoon would be quieter, but how I was wrong. That's an hours work I lost. I dont have the time or inclination to call anymore which is unfortunate as it is a determent to my health and clearly so many others.
Visited October 2022
Review titled Frome Medical Centre
Replied on 14 October 2022
We are really sorry to hear this. It has been a particularly challenging month for us with much higher than usual staff absences and we appreciate that it is not as easy as we would like for patients to gain access. Have you tried online booking for ease, or coming in. It is highly unusual for the demand you mentioned on an afternoon. As you have not left you name we cant investigate further on this. Please do contact us directly if you need so we can provide the support you need with your titration appointment. Phone lines are reasonably quiet after 11. Please explain the difficulties you have had when you call.
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Review titled Awful
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Karima Boice - Posted on 12 September 2022
Impossible to get an appointment if you work full time because of the insane booking system. Pharmacy closed between one and two on a weekday so those of us that work and need to pick up a 'script can't. Feels as though everything is done on a tick box basis to make sure the practice maintains central funding with a complete lack of care for the individual. Worst practice I have had the misfortune to be registered with.
Visited September 2022
Review titled Frome Medical Centre
Replied on 21 September 2022
Dear Karima We are sorry to hear you have been experiencing difficulties. Please feel free to contact the practice to discuss options including online booking. Please be aware the Pharmacy based in the Medical Centre is an independent Pharmacy and is not part of the Medical Practice. We appreciate we have had limited appointments in some areas due to both staff absence, recruitment and very high demand. All of the health care system is under extreme pressure at the moment and is struggling to cope on a daily basis. We can only reassure you our team are working as hard as they can and doing their upmost to provide the best possible service with the funding available and go above and beyond on a daily basis. You are of course very welcome to register at a different practice and you may also want to consider raising your concerns about the lack of GPs, Nurses and other Health Care practitioners available to support the system with your local MP
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Review titled Difficult access
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Valerie - Posted on 15 September 2022
Just spent 47 minutes holding on the phone to be told that I have to do it again tomorrow. A ridiculous way to run a service!
Visited September 2022
Review titled Frome Medical Centre
Replied on 23 September 2022
Dear Valerie We are sorry to hear you are struggling to get through for a routine appointment. We are as frustrated as you are that we are not able to cope with the overwhelming demand at present. We also have several clinical staff off and doing our best to recruit in a challenging environment where there are not enough clinical staff available to recruit. As you will already know we have an National shortage of GPs and Nurses. We can only offer the appointments we have available. We have an urgent on the day team who will always see you if it cannot wait and you can call throughout the day for this.
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Review titled Cant get an appointment
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 11 August 2022
Rang yesterday & spoke to a 'care navigator' explained my symptoms & he was going to get a nurse to call me. No one did. Rang again today & found I was ninth in the queue, & still ninth after twenty minutes. So gave up. Tried booking online, but that is limited to routine appointments for Blood Tests etc. Appreciate the NHS is under a lot of pressure, but there must be an easier way of making an appointment.
Visited August 2022
Review titled Frome Medical Centre
Replied on 15 August 2022
We are sorry to hear of your experience. As you have posted anonymously it is very difficult to follow this up for you. The morning calls can be the busiest time so we would suggest calling after 11 to explain you did not get the call with the Nurse you were expecting. Nurse appointments can be booked in advance. If the call back was from a Nurse Practitioner we can trace what happened to the call as it would have been added to the appointment screen. Do please call back with the details of when you originally spoke to the care navigator. Many thanks
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Review titled Billiant service
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 15 July 2022
Rang with query about my 89 year old mum, she was contacted within 50 minutes & seen an hour later. Couldnt believe the excellent service we received especially in these differcult times. Cant praise them highly enough. Well done & thank you!
Visited July 2022
Review titled Frome Medical Centre
Replied on 17 July 2022
Thank you for taking the time to feedback about the experience you had at the practice in relation to the care for your mum. We will pass the comments on to our Team
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Review titled Booking system!!
Rated 1 star out of 5
by louise turner - Posted on 26 August 2022
If you ring for an appointment after 8.05 am you wil either not get through or be in a queue of 30+. My most frequent experience is ringing at 8.01, placed 23rd (or similar) in the queue then at around 8.27 the phone goes dead. No explanation. I ring back.... all appointments gone. You can't book an appointment further ahead than that working day so your alternative is to book online; login ID and password required. So far so good, but if you do this at any sort of sociable hour (like 6am) they are all gone. The only real option is to wait up until midnight and book online. Worker's, particularly shift workers or anyone who can't answer a call at work (teachers, call centre staff, police, prison....), and those without Internet access (disproportionately affecting older people) are disadvantaged. This is a system set up for medical staff not patients. How many people with genuine, undiagnosed conditions will be put off from even trying to see their gp? I dread any time I need an appointment. If you do persevere, and you get an appointment you will probably get an excellent service from caring and professional people. Thank you for what you do but please address this 'system'!
Visited June 2022
Review titled Frome Medical Centre
Replied on 21 September 2022
Dear Louise We recognise our system is struggling to cope with demand. We can only offer the appointments we have with the clinicians we have available. We offer urgent care throughout the day and calls for this can be made at any time. We have a dedicated complex care team for more vulnerable or older patients. We are also investigating with our phone provider why the line may be going dead and are looking to change our phone system later this year. Patients can book in person if they do not access to a phone. Patients can book all Nurse and HCA appointments in advance and there are options to book ahead with a GP on an evening or Saturday morning .We like many practices across the country are facing a shortage of qualified GPs, Nurses and Pharmacists.