Headcorn Surgery
Grigg Lane, Headcorn, Ashford, Kent, TN27 9AAContact details and opening times
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Reviews
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Review titled Very poor service
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 16 December 2022
Could not get on the day appointment. Never can. So I walked my daughter into reception as she was crying with ear acne still refused to see her even with blood coming out of her ear. So had to sit in a&e for 10 hours.then prescribed antibiotics with a very bad ear infection.
Visited December 2022
Review titled Headcorn Surgery
Replied on 20 January 2023
Dear patient Thank you for providing feed back of your experience at Headcorn Surgery and I apologise for the delay in reply. Demand for appointments is exceeding our ability to provide them, and we apologise for this. The crisis is not restricted to Headcorn Surgery, however, but happening in general practice across the UK as you will be aware from the national press coverage of the situation. We are at maximum capacity in terms of the number of clinical staff, we cannot afford any more doctors and have no rooms to put them if we could. Within the past few months we have managed to increase our provision by 2 senior clinician days per week by persuading existing clinicians to work more sessions for us, meaning that we are offering more appointments, we have also extended the pre bookable appointment time to 6 weeks. In terms of urgent care, we will not allow our clinicians to work at rates or for length of time that are not professionally safe or breach their contract of employment, and so we must at time advise patients to seek help elsewhere such as a walk in centre, 111, A&E or pharmacy. Last week ( w/c 9.1.20236 hours 30 minutes were ‘lost’ due to patients who DNA’d their appointment, these appointments could have been offered to other patients seeking an appointment. Anne Bristow Managing partner
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Review titled Never any appointments
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 13 December 2022
Why is it that surgery’s in the surrounding areas have no problem fitting patients in but at this surgery you can never get a same day appointment? This is despite waiting outside an hour before the surgery opens. Whenever I or one of my friends have been in the surgery there have been no more than 2 or 3 people in the waiting room, so they are hardly over run. It’s seriously concerning when a gps receptionist advises you to go to A&E for a problem that a doctor should be dealing with. This surgery is failing to provide a duty of care to its patients. Where are CQC?
Visited December 2022
Review titled Headcorn Surgery
Replied on 20 January 2023
Dear patient Thank you for providing feed back of your experience at Headcorn Surgery and I apologise for the delay in reply. Demand for appointments is exceeding our ability to provide them, and we apologise for this. The crisis is not restricted to Headcorn Surgery, however, but happening in general practice across the UK as you will be aware from the national press coverage of the situation. We are at maximum capacity in terms of the number of clinical staff, we cannot afford any more doctors and have no rooms to put them if we could. Within the past few months we have managed to increase our provision by 2 senior clinician days per week by persuading existing clinicians to work more sessions for us, meaning that we are offering more appointments, we have also extended the pre bookable appointment time to 6 weeks. In terms of urgent care, we will not allow our clinicians to work at rates or for length of time that are not professionally safe or breach their contract of employment, and so we must at time advise patients to seek help elsewhere such as a walk in centre, 111, A&E or pharmacy. The number of patients in the waiting room is not a barometer of the work being carried out by our clinicians who have a variety of other duties to perform during the day including prescriptions, clinical letter, pathology results, referrals, the list goes on. Last week ( w/c 9.1.20236 hours 30 minutes were ‘lost’ due to patients who DNA’d their appointment which could have been offered to patients seeking an appointment. Anne Bristow Managing partner
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Review titled Friendly staff but impossible to make an appointment
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 13 December 2022
I found the staff very pleasant and the surgery is nice and modern so first impressions were great, however, booking an appointment has been an incredibly stressful experience. I was told by a doctor that I needed to come back in a week if my symptoms don’t improve. When I rang up I was told I couldn’t make an appointment as all the urgent day ones had gone. I said it didn’t need to be today and I was told it would be in 4 weeks then. I said it needs to be sooner as it’s a follow up but I was again told either to ring at 8am tomorrow but that I might not even get an appointment or to wait 4 weeks or go to urgent treatment centre. I don’t have a car to get to urgent treatment centre and I also start work before 8am. Headcorn Surgery needs to sort this out as appointments are not accessible to most patients. I would not recommend this surgery based on this. If the reason is because some people miss their appointments then this is unfair as it’s excluding the majority of people who do not cancel or miss an appointment.
Visited November 2022
Review titled Headcorn Surgery
Replied on 20 January 2023
Dear patient Thank you for providing feedback of your experience at the practice, I apologise for the delay in reply. Demand for appointments is exceeding our ability to provide them, and we apologise for this, the crisis is not restricted to Headcorn Surgery, it is happening in general practice across the UK as you will be aware from the national press coverage of the situation. We are at maximum capacity in terms of the number of clinical staff , we cannot afford any more doctors and have no rooms to put them if we could. Within the past few months we have managed to increase our provision by two senior clinicians days per week by persuading existing clinicians to do more sessions for us, meaning that we are offering more appointments and have also extended the pre-bookable appointment time to 6 weeks. In terms of urgent care, we will not allow our clinicians to work at rates or for lengths of time that they are not professionally safe or breach their contracts of employment, and so we must at times advise patients to seek help elsewhere, i.e: walk in centre, 111, A&E, a pharmacy etc. Last week (w/c 9.1.2023) six hours 30 minutes were 'lost' due to patients who DNA'd their booked appointment. Anne Bristow Managing partner
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Review titled Such a Shame
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 25 November 2022
The staff are lovely and the doctors usually good if you can get to see them! All the adverts on the TV say to go to your doctors. The problem is with getting through to them. My own experience is to be told you can't book an appointment in advance because the book isn't open yet. Then to go through the very frustrating and distressing attempts to get an on-the-day appointment by phone. Four times after listening to the messages and selecting reception I was told I would be disconnected. Then when you do get in the queue and eventually get through you get told that all appointments have gone! This leaves you the stress of having to go through the same rigmarole the next day. Not what you need when you're not feeling well. I ended up queueing outside in the cold for when the surgery opened. Only to get to the desk to be told they would book me a call. I find it very difficult to express my problems over the phone so was very upset and unhappy. We need more Doctors in Headcorn so that patients can be offered a better level of service.
Visited November 2022
Review titled Headcorn Surgery
Replied on 20 January 2023
Dear patient Thank you for providing feed back of your experience at Headcorn Surgery and I apologise for the delay in reply. Demand for appointments is exceeding our ability to provide them, and we apologise for this. The crisis is not restricted to Headcorn Surgery, however, but happening in general practice across the UK as you will be aware from the national press coverage of the situation. We are at maximum capacity in terms of the number of clinical staff, we cannot afford any more doctors and have no rooms to put them if we could. Within the past few months we have managed to increase our provision by 2 senior clinician days per week by persuading existing clinicians to work more sessions for us, meaning that we are offering more appointments, we have also extended the pre bookable appointment time to 6 weeks. In terms of urgent care, we will not allow our clinicians to work at rates or for length of time that are not professionally safe or breach their contract of employment, and so we must at time advise patients to seek help elsewhere such as a walk in centre, 111, A&E or pharmacy. Last week ( w/c 9.1.20236 hours 30 minutes were ‘lost’ due to patients who DNA’d their appointment. Anne Bristow Managing partner
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Review titled Friendly and lovely
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Nicky Smith - Posted on 10 October 2022
I called to make an appointment today and the receptionist was a real delight to speak to friendly helpful and I could tell she was smiling from the lovely way she was talking to me. I always find this surgery a pleasure to deal with, well done all of you. Thank you
Visited October 2022
Review titled Headcorn Surgery
Replied on 20 January 2023
Dear Nicky Thank you for taking the time to post a positive comment about the practice, this is very much appreciated by the team who work hard in challenging times. With apologies for delay in reply. Anne Bristow Managing partner
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Review titled Let down by Headcorn Surgery
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 20 August 2022
I phoned up to ask for an on the day appointment, I was told I could have a phone call and to send some photos which I did straight away. I waited all day, didn't receive a phone call! I waited the following day incase they would phone, no phone call!!!!! I really find it hard to understand that Headcorn Doctors Surgery thinks this is acceptable. I phoned up for a genuine reason, I don't ask for an on the day appointment that often. I normally book one in advance. I feel completely let down and have been quite upset as I feel I'm obviously not important enough.
Visited August 2022
Review titled Headcorn Surgery
Replied on 22 August 2022
Dear patient, Thank you for taking the time to get in touch and leave a review following your experience with Headcorn Surgery. I'm sorry to hear that you were not contacted despite arranging an on the day appointment and that you were left feeling as though you are not important enough. I would appreciate if you would contact me directly, via email, so that I might investigate your concerns. You can email me at callum.mcque@nhs.net Yours sincerely, Callum McQue Operations Manager
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Review titled Meltdown
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Peter Joseph Edwards-Daem - Posted on 27 June 2022
Telephone consultation with doctor 4 weeks after booking for high blood pressure. Doctor never rang!
Visited June 2022
Review titled Headcorn Surgery
Replied on 29 June 2022
Thank you for taking the time to leave a review for the Practice. Having checked the history of the appointment I can confirm that the doctor did attempt to call you but the call went straight to voicemail; I have checked our call logs, which confirms this. I apologise that in this instance the doctor, despite an attempt being made, was not able to contact you when expected. If you would like to arrange an alternative appointment please contact the practice on 01622 890294 and speak to a member of our reception team. Should you wish to discuss this matter or raise any other concerns please do not hesitate to contact me directly at callum.mcque@nhs.net Yours sincerely, Callum McQue Operations Manager
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Review titled Non existent service
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 07 June 2022
My husband contacted Headcorn surgery by phone at 8am, recorded message informed him that they had closed the switchboard down and were not taking any more calls. My husband then visited the surgery on the same morning, was told to return at 8am the following morning and queue where he might be fortunate to see a GP. He was told there was no guarantee that he would see GP or even have a call from them. He was also told that he would be placed on the emergency medicine list for a doctor to asses his case and to call back later that day. He contacted them once more and was told by reception staff that: there did not appear to have any medication prescribed; but a sick certificate was waiting for him. On the certificate it stated that he had been assessed by a GP on the 6th of June, the reason that he was unfit for work was due to “lower respiratory tract infection”. I cannot understand how a GP can diagnose an illness without even seeing or indeed talking to the patient. My husband is still very unwell. I am shocked and angry that he has been cast aside, in such an uncaring manner.
Visited June 2022
Review titled Headcorn Surgery
Replied on 08 June 2022
Dear Patient, Thank you for taking the time to write and leave feedback following your experience with Headcorn Surgery. It’s really important that our patients feel able to raise any concerns that they might have so that we can assess where things are going right, and where things may be going wrong. I’m disappointed to hear that you have been left feeling as though your husband has been cast aside and that our team has provided poor service. I would be keen to hear about your experience in more detail and would ask that you reach out to me to discuss, I can then investigate your concerns thoroughly. Please contact me at callum.mcque@nhs.net Yours sincerely, Callum McQue Operations Manager