Hilly Fields Medical Centre (The Lewisham Care Partnership)
172 Adelaide Avenue, London, SE4 1JNContact details and opening times
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Reviews
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Review titled Diabolical service
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 01 February 2024
Telephone service is abysmal. Tried to call today for an appointment. No. 13 in the queue - cut off after 20 minutes. Called back, obviously back of the queue - no. 13 again. An hour on the phone - got to number 4 and cut off again. Judging by other reviews this is not unusual and needs urgent attention. Not sure of the purpose of the Lewisham Care Partnership if the pooling of resources results in a worse service. It feels like Practice staff have lost sight of the fact that people are calling because they feel unwell, physically and/ or mentally, and need advice and help. This system just adds to stress levels. It feels more like a gatekeeping service rather than one focussed on the needs of the community.
Visited February 2024
Review titled Hilly Fields Medical Centre (The Lewisham Care Partnership)
Replied on 07 March 2024
Dear Patient, Thank you for your feedback. We sincerely apologise for the frustrating experience you encountered while trying to reach us by phone. It is concerning to hear about the long wait times and being cut off multiple times during your attempts to schedule an appointment. Please be assured that we are actively addressing the issues with our telephone service to ensure that all patients can access the care they need without unnecessary stress or inconvenience. We understand the importance of timely and reliable communication, especially when it comes to addressing health concerns. We are committed to providing high-quality care and apologise for any inconvenience caused by the current challenges with our telephone system. Your concerns have been noted, and we are working diligently to implement improvements to better serve our community. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention, and we appreciate your patience and understanding as we work to resolve these issues. Kind Regards Complaints Hub The Lewisham Care Partnership
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Review titled Over an hour waiting on phone
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 20 February 2024
Unable to get through after spending an hour waiting on phone to speak with Surgery. I was cut off after an hour waiting. This is unacceptable.
Visited February 2024
Review titled Hilly Fields Medical Centre (The Lewisham Care Partnership)
Replied on 07 March 2024
Dear Patient, Thank you for your feedback. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience you experienced while attempting to reach us. Your situation is unacceptable, and we assure you, we are committed to improving our accessibility and responsiveness. We are currently reviewing all contact systems and are striving to implement a new system in the near future which we are optimistic about. We would like to thank you for your patience and understanding whilst we work on improving our services. Once again, we are truly sorry for the distress and inconvenience you have experienced. Kind Regards Complaints Hub The Lewisham Care Partnership
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Review titled Very Sad
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 13 February 2024
Very sad to see that the Practice has seemingly gone down hill since merging with The Lewisham Care Partnership, I am currently trying to ring through to speak with a member of the reception team and I have been on hold for the past 1 hour and 34 minutes. I rarely try to call through as I understand it is very busy, but this is beyond an excessive wait time.
Visited February 2024
Review titled Hilly Fields Medical Centre (The Lewisham Care Partnership)
Replied on 07 March 2024
Dear Patient, We appreciate you sharing your concerns with us. We extend our sincere apologies for the extended wait time you encountered when attempting to contact us. We understand your frustration and thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. Recognising the challenges stemming from the recent merger resulting in heightened appointment demands and lengthier waiting periods, we are actively engaged in addressing these issues to enhance our services. Your feedback is invaluable in guiding us toward necessary improvements. We comprehend the importance of timely medical care, and we regret any inconvenience caused by the existing situation. Please be assured of our commitment to refining our services, utilising your feedback to implement changes for a more streamlined and responsive patient experience. If you have specific concerns or would like to further discuss this matter, please don't hesitate to reach out to us directly. Kind Regards, Complaints Hub The Lewisham Care Partnership
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Review titled Uncaring GP and Staff
Rated 1 star out of 5
by S Leidig - Posted on 17 January 2024
I have been having an emergency health issue and finally was able to receive an emergency appointment with a gp. However, the appointment was for today at 11.10am, I waited for a call until 12.30pm and as I did not receive a call, hence requested the call to be delayed after 2pm due to having a work meeting. I received a call from the emergency gp at 4.20pm, so explained my medical issue to her. With my second issue, the gp did not want to listen to it, and told me to contact the surgery and book an appointment. I tried explaining that it is an emergency and that she should hear it, but the GP refused and ended the call by saying she is an emergency duty doctor. She also suggested to call the receptionist for an advance appointments as now available. The call was ended. When I tried calling reception staff, no one answers the phone at this surgery, I was on the phone for over 56 mins, starting from 9th in a queue and gave up at 2nd in queue, because I travelled from br2 area to the surgery, which was quicker to do so. Again, no appointments were available for next two weeks. I was told only one staff was answering the phones today as receptionist pointed at another staff. I saw she was not answering as she did something else and let the phone ring. I even proved it as my call was still in a queue. The staff was not bothered at all. No wonder patients are ignored and left angry and upset. I feel this practice does not show any empathy or care towards their patients and doctors want their patients to come off the phone asap, even though you are within your 10 mins of the appointment time. Please look at the care quality requirements in the nhs, and give us some help and guidance towards our medical condition needs. I do not call you every day and ask for an appointment. Please understand that patients are already waiting several weeks beforehand to receive an appointment, and due to lack of appointments availability, our problems become emergency. Please do not divert us to another service where you know we will be ending back at your practice, and stop using this tactics to push us away for another few weeks . I cannot wait for another 2 weeks as my health may determinate further. If only the gp heard what I had to say. I could have had a prescription and within few days I could be feeling better. I have no other way to communicate with this practice and hence writing this as a review. I really hope you take some serious consideration in the way you operate your appointments, GPs and reception services. I was told to contact NHS 111 as I said I cannot wait for another 2 weeks, and I know they are unable to refer me and will advice to return to the practice. I seriously hope the surgery improves.
Visited January 2024
Review titled Hilly Fields Medical Centre (The Lewisham Care Partnership)
Replied on 07 March 2024
Dear S Leidig, Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We deeply regret any inconvenience and frustration you encountered while attempting to schedule an appointment. We appreciate your understanding of the challenges we face, including the impact of emergencies from other services that can sometimes affect the GP’s clinic. We understand that you were unable to discuss a second issue during your appointment, unfortunately the duty doctors’ appointments are reserved for acute issues such as infections which is why the GP advised you to book another appointment. We recognise the extended waiting times on our telephone lines, and we acknowledge the impact this has on our patients. Staff shortages have contributed to delays in answering calls, and we want to assure you that we are actively working to address this situation. We understand that the appearance of care navigators not answering phones can be misleading, and we are taking steps to remind all staff about the importance of promptly attending to phone calls. Furthermore, we are in the process of implementing changes to improve our telephone and booking system, including trialing a new triage system and transitioning to a new telephone provider. Your feedback is essential in helping us identify areas for improvement, and we genuinely appreciate your patience as we work towards a more efficient and responsive system. Please accept our sincere apologies for any stress caused, and be assured that we are dedicated to enhancing our services based on the issues you've raised. Kind Regards, Complaints Hub The Lewisham Care Partnership
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Review titled They do not answer the phones
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Jacqueline Jarvia - Posted on 17 January 2024
I have been trying to days to get through the to surgery. They do not answer the phone - I was holding to over hours on 16th of January, for more than half of this time I was number one in the queue. The same experience last week and again today. The auto message telling me that my call is important is obviously nonsense.
Visited January 2024
Review titled Hilly Fields Medical Centre (The Lewisham Care Partnership)
Replied on 07 March 2024
Dear Jacqueline Jarvia, I'm truly sorry for the difficulty you've encountered in reaching our surgery. Your experience of extended wait times and being unable to get through despite being first in the queue is unacceptable, and I understand your frustration. We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused by our phone lines being consistently busy. Your feedback is invaluable, and we are actively working to address this issue to ensure better accessibility for all our patients. The automated message stating that your call is important is intended to convey our commitment to providing timely and attentive care, but I understand that it may feel meaningless when you're unable to reach us. Please know that we take your concerns seriously, and we are actively exploring solutions to improve our phone system's efficiency. In the meantime, if there's anything urgent you need assistance with or if you have any other concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us through alternative channels or by visiting the surgery in person. Your well-being is our priority, and we are committed to providing you with the care and support you need. Thank you for bringing this matter to our attention, and we apologise once again for any inconvenience caused. We greatly appreciate your patience and understanding as we work towards improving our services. Kind Regards Complaints Hub The Lewisham Care Partnership
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Review titled Impossible Appontments
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 13 January 2024
Telephoned the surgery to make an appointment with a concerning my ongoing condition & treatment. After hours holding in the interminable machine phone queue I finally reached "you are no. 1 in the queue". Then I was cut off! Tried again the next day, this time over 2 hours holding to speak to receptionist only to be told there were no appointments for two weeks. If concerned call 111. This is now common at Hilly fields MC. Online appointments do not exist. It is beyond poor service. This is atrocious service that gets worse each day. Complaints to the practice result in manager advising me that if not happy with them then to look elsewhere for another GP practice. This terrible GP practice somehow still gets a high rating. Make sure you have free phone minutes & plenty of time & patience if trying to get through to this place.
Visited January 2024
Review titled Hilly Fields Medical Centre (The Lewisham Care Partnership)
Replied on 07 March 2024
Dear Patient, Thank you for reaching out and sharing your recent experience with us. I am truly sorry to hear about the difficulties you faced in trying to secure an appointment regarding your ongoing condition and treatment. It's disheartening to learn that you encountered challenges in accessing our services, particularly with the extended wait times on the phone and the unavailability of appointments for two weeks. I understand the frustration and inconvenience this may have caused you. Please know that your feedback is crucial for us to identify areas that require improvement. I apologise for the inconvenience you've experienced with our telephone system and the difficulties in securing timely appointments. We recognise there are problems with our booking system and would like to disclose that we are looking into multiple ways to improve patient contact and our telephone system. We offer both telephone and face to face appointments up to 3 weeks in advance via the online booking system and booking through reception. If you are using the online booking system to make an appointment, it will only show telephone appointments. However, this can be changed to a face to face appointment upon the patients’ request. We are committed to enhancing our services and strive to provide a more efficient and patient-friendly experience. If you would like to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to contact us. Kind Regards Complaints Hub The Lewisham Care Partnership
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Review titled Front desk staff very rude and don’t answer the phone
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Rose Arouca - Posted on 16 January 2024
I have been holding the line since 1pm I was number 14 now it’s 15:45 I’m number 7 then the phone cuts off and I tried calling again I was number 15. This service is disgraceful. No care about patients at all. The front desk staff is very dismissive. They are rude. Talk to people like we are bothering them. They shout at you when you can’t hear them. The front desk staff is very rude.
Visited January 2024
Review titled Hilly Fields Medical Centre (The Lewisham Care Partnership)
Replied on 07 March 2024
Dear Rose Arouca, Thank you for sharing your feedback. I sincerely apologise for the challenging experience you encountered while attempting to contact our practice. Your input is profoundly troubling, and I want to extend my heartfelt apologies for the inconvenience and frustration you have faced. It is unacceptable that you had to endure a prolonged wait on the phone, only to be disconnected, and then encounter dismissive and rude behavior from our front desk staff. I recognise the importance of efficient and respectful communication, especially when patients seek assistance or information. Rest assured, we are promptly investigating the concerns you raised. We will address the conduct of our staff members and implement necessary measures to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future. I apologise once again for the inconvenience and distress you experienced. Your feedback is invaluable, and we appreciate you bringing these issues to our attention. Be assured that immediate action is being taken to address your concerns and enhance our services. If you wish to discuss your concerns further or need any assistance, please feel free to contact us. Kind Regards, Complaints Hub The Lewisham Care Partnership
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Review titled poor phone service
Rated 1 star out of 5
by djelika - Posted on 31 January 2024
I called at 8:00 and stayed on the phone for an hour and 42minutes . i’ve been caller number one for the past hours and no response, honestly poor service. no point of giving out call services if they don’t work and there’s always a bug , i am now having to call A&E
Visited January 2024
Review titled Hilly Fields Medical Centre (The Lewisham Care Partnership)
Replied on 07 March 2024
Dear Djelika, Thank you for your feedback. We sincerely apologise for the extended wait time you experienced when trying to reach us by phone. Your feedback is incredibly important to us, and we regret that our phone service did not meet your expectations on this occasion. We understand the frustration and inconvenience caused by the long wait and lack of response. Our aim is to provide efficient and timely assistance to all our patients, and we regret that we fell short in your case. Please rest assured that we take your feedback seriously, and we will investigate the issue to ensure that improvements are made to prevent similar situations from occurring in the future. Once again, we apologise for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience and understanding. If there is anything further we can assist you with or if you have any additional feedback, please do not hesitate to contact us. Kind Regards Complaints Hub The Lewisham Care Partnership
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Review titled Empty surgery, but no appointments
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 08 December 2023
Today I waited over two hours to get through to book an appointment. I got up to number 2 in the queue, then I got cut off. I phoned back immediately and went back to number 14 in the queue. I waited another 90 mins before a friend offered to take me to the surgery. When I got to the surgery I was told all the appointments were gone for the day, yet the surgery was completely empty at 11am. When I mentioned this to receptionist she shrugged her shoulders and couldn’t explain why nobody was in the surgery, yet there were no appointments. I then asked if I could book an advance appointment and she said no, they are all booked up until January 2024. I went next door to the chemist, then went back to GP surgery, to ask for a complaints form. I was amazed to hear the same receptionist on the telephone telling a patient “I will get a doctor to call you later today” Another reception lady came over and spoke to me. She had a much nicer and caring approach, but still no appointments. She told me you can book appointments online at 8am & 6pm daily but they go really quickly. She then said that despite the surgery being empty the surgery was fully book. I do not understand how the doctors are fully booked when there is no patients in the surgery? I would like somebody to explain that to me please. I would also like somebody to explain why the phone recording states you are number……. In the queue, yet when you go into the surgery no receptionists are on the phone? Are they really spending over 15 minutes per caller on the telephone? Are the GP’s working from home? My mobility is limited due to osteoarthritis and I have now injured my knee, so I cannot stand outside in a queue at 8am. I do not recommend anyone joining this surgery. Good GP’s, but you are unable to get an appointment to see them
Visited December 2023
Review titled Hilly Fields Medical Centre (The Lewisham Care Partnership)
Replied on 07 March 2024
Dear Patient, Thank you for your feedback. I am sincerely sorry for the frustrating experience you had while trying to book an appointment with our practice. It's deeply concerning to hear about the long wait times and the difficulties you encountered both over the phone and in person. I completely understand your confusion and frustration regarding the discrepancy between the apparent lack of patients in the surgery and the unavailability of appointments. It's important to understand that while the waiting room may appear vacant, General Practitioners are often engaged in various tasks. These include conducting telephone appointments, managing administrative duties such as authorizing repeat prescriptions, processing referrals, handling medical insurance paperwork, and attending meetings such as clinical and safeguarding meetings. A General Practitioner's typical day encompasses more than just patient consultations; it also involves various tasks aimed at supporting patient care. Regarding the booking of advance appointments, I apologise for the inconvenience of not being able to secure one until January 2024. We offer both pre-bookable and on the day appointments however, the on the day appointments tend to go quite quickly hence the reason why you were offered the next available. I appreciate your feedback about the different approaches of our reception staff. It's important for us to provide compassionate and helpful service to all our patients, and I'm glad to hear that one of our team members was able to assist you better. In response to your enquiries about the phone queue system and the availability of appointments, I assure you we are actively reviewing both systems and are currently working towards a system which will enhance patient care and communication. We have front house reception staff who attend strictly to the patients who attend the practice and care navigators strictly attend to the telephone calls in a separate office. Your mobility limitations are a valid concern, and we apologise for any inconvenience caused by our current appointment booking system. We understand that not all patients are able to queue at 08:00am to get an appointment and are actively working on a booking system which we hope will be more efficient reduce the need of having to attend the surgery at 08:00am to book an appointment. Please know that your feedback is invaluable to us, and we are committed to addressing these issues to improve the overall experience for our patients. If there's anything else we can do to assist you, please don't hesitate to let us know. Kind Regards Complaints Hub The Lewisham Care Partnership
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Review titled Avoid
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 18 December 2023
Gp won’t care, can’t make an appoitment easily. Although they should be open from 8am to book an appointment over the phone, it won’t work until 20-30 minute later. And then…you’ll wait in a queue for a long time. You’ll need slightly under an hour to be able to speak to someone. Doctor won’t call back when there is a phone call appointment. Another time left inaudible voicemail. Lack of care.
Visited December 2023
Review titled Hilly Fields Medical Centre (The Lewisham Care Partnership)
Replied on 07 March 2024
Dear Patient, Thank you for your feedback, I'm truly sorry to hear about your frustrating experience trying to book an appointment with our practice. Your feedback is concerning, and I understand the importance of being able to easily access medical care when needed. We acknowledge that our current appointment booking system has been causing inconvenience, with delays in phone lines and lengthy wait times. This is certainly not the level of service we strive to provide, and I apologise for any inconvenience or distress this may have caused you. At the moment, our telephone queuing system can only hold a maximum of 30 patients. Once the capacity has been reached, patients will receive a busy tone which may come across as the telephone not working. We are actively seeking to implement change regarding our telephone system and are hoping to have this in place in the near future. Regarding the missed phone call appointments and inaudible voicemails, I sincerely apologise for the lack of communication and care demonstrated in these instances. Your concerns are valid, and we are committed to addressing them promptly to ensure that every patient receives the attention and support they deserve. Please be assured that we are taking your feedback seriously and will work to improve our processes to enhance the accessibility and quality of our services. If there's anything specific we can do to assist you or if you have further concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out. Your well-being is our top priority, and we are here to support you in any way we can. Kind Regards Complaints Hub The Lewisham Care Partnership