Ponteland Medical Group - Ratings and reviews
Reviews
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Review titled No reply
Rated 1 star out of 5
by John - Posted on 11 April 2024
I've tried for 3 days to get a telephone reply. Over an hour in minutes waiting. I must speak to a receptionist but can't. I rang the other ponteland doctors once and including wait time I got a full verbal reply in 10 minutes. Should I remain a patient with a practice I can't communicate with.
Visited April 2024
Ponteland Medical Group has not yet replied.
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Review titled Shockingly Bad Telephone Response Times
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Ian - Posted on 16 November 2023
Their inability to answer the telephone in a timely manner beggars belief. They don't even have the now customary "you are now number ? in the queue" to indicate how long the wait might be. There's not much choice in the area, so it seems they know you are stuck with them. Through our various taxes we are actually paying for this "service" - deplorable!
Visited November 2023
Ponteland Medical Group has not yet replied.
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Review titled Same old story.
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 19 April 2023
Like so many others, trying to get an appointment is absolutely ridiculous. I rang at 0800hrs and waited 35 minutes with no answer, I hung up and tried the alternative number provided in their answer phone message, sat waiting for 10 minutes and was then cut off. So my wife rang on her mobile while I drove 10 miles to the practice to book an appointment that way, as it was quicker. When I arrived at the surgery I contacted my wife who was still on the line waiting to get through. I spoke to the receptionist who told me that there were no issues with the phone system. Despite the fact that the answer phone message states they are aware of problems with their telephone system and also there was a printed notice next to the receptionist stating there were issues with the phone lines. So she either did not know or refused to accept it. I tried to book an appointment and was told there were none left and to ring back the following day. I asked for a phone consultation and was told they could send a message to the relevant Doctor to arrange this. I opted for this and asked if there was an approximate time the Doctor would call on the arranged date. I was then told there was no guarantee I would receive a call and that a message had only been past asking if I could be called. It's an absolute disgrace and after all this time claiming it is down to issues with the telephone system, why has it not been fixed? If this was a regular business it would have had to close down a long time ago. When you do eventually get to see a GP they are actually very good. I am due my phone call tomorrow, but I am going to drive the 10 miles to the surgery for 0800hrs so I can book an appointment in person as I have no confidence in receiving a call. While doing this review I'd also like to relate to a time I went to pick up a prescription (when there was a pharmacy). It was during Covid so I had to buzz to be allowed in. After pressing the buzzer at least ten times over ten minutes I was eventually let in by a nurse practitioner. A long review but it is through sheer frustration and anger that the same issue remains months and months later, despite multiple promises that it would be resolved. Who is responsible for getting this fixed??
Visited April 2023
Ponteland Medical Group has not yet replied.
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Review titled Basic administration practices are very poor
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 21 March 2023
First, and I repeat a current thread, the telephone appointment system is dreadful. I started ringing at 8.0am and after being cut off several times finally made contact at 9.20am. With your telephone system why is not possible to be advised of your position in the queue? Is it a deliberately policy to cut people off after a certain period of time to deter people from making contact? It certainly appears that way. We are repeatedly told that your telephone system is being updated. As of 21st March 2023, is your telephone system updated as there appears to be zero improvement? What are the enhancements that you are trying to achieve? May I now refer to your repeat prescription service. I ordered a repeat prescription online on Thursday 9th. March. You actioned it over a week later on Friday 17th. March but then proceeded to send the request to the Pharmacy by post so that it will not be available for collection until Wednesday 22nd. March. Why does it take it take over a week to action an online prescription request? Surely any checks that you perform could be undertaken automatically by a simple AI programme? Why did you communicate to the Pharmacy by post? They confirmed that all prescriptions should be transferred to them electronically. I appreciate that it is easy to be negative about things but it appears that basic office administration procedures are outside the grasp of the Ponteland Medical Group. Why is this?
Visited March 2023
Ponteland Medical Group has not yet replied.
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Review titled Administratively appalling
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 21 March 2023
The administration of this practice has been getting worse for some time and is now appalling. Tolerated as I though the GP's are good; but the administration is now letting down the GP's and patients will suffer. In my case, a letter from a consultants received by the practice but the actions for GP not logged and followed up. I've tried to call numerous times but the known issue with the phone system (not resolved for months now) has prevented me. And when I check the reception opening times on their website (8am to 6.30pm) it doesn't align with reality which may seem minor, but that lack attention to administrative detail is a cultural indicator. Losing faith, but do I have a choice!?
Visited March 2023
Ponteland Medical Group has not yet replied.
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Review titled Used to be a great practice
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 07 March 2023
I have no faith in this practice anymore. They are appalling. You can never get through on the phones, with the excuse always being the new telephone system. Referrals not being done/sent or lost. They're always understaffed. You can't get an appointment because you miss them spending ages on the phone trying to get through. Admin staff are now dealing with medical e-consults. What does that say about the practice! The left hand doesn't seem to know what the right is doing and it is only getting worse. Very sad.
Visited January 2023
Review titled Ponteland Medical Group
Replied on 04 April 2023
Dear patient, Thank you for your feedback. We are very sorry for the negative experience you have had trying to contact us. We have had problems with our telephone lines recently where patients have had to redial after the lines disconnecting. We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused. During these issues we made sure we had communication sent to all our patients and an alternative temporary contact number that patients could dial into directly. We have worked closely with our current telephone provider to investigate what was causing the issues and to rectify these as soon as possible. There are also other ways to contact the surgery by using e-consult on our website, leaving a medication request through our script line or if able, you can also come into the surgery if you are able to speak to a receptionist. Our new telephone system is due to go live on the 21st April as we are still currently with our old provider. I hope this also irons out some issues we have faced recently. The admin staff are trained to navigate to the most appropriate service for patients to get the best treatment for their problem. This also applies to the e-consult process. The admin staff have training on how to action an e-consult and use a navigation tool which has been created by our clinical staff which enables them to navigate these correctly and safely. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact the surgery and provide more details, we would be more than happy to help. Thank You Nicola Rice, Practice Manager
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Review titled Going down hill fast
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 16 December 2022
Used to be a good surgery but now GP’s indifferent and disinterested. Remote in attitude and reception staff turnover constantly. Great shame this once very good surgery is ran by NHS which is clearly broken.
Visited December 2022
Ponteland Medical Group has not yet replied.
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Review titled Testing my patience
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 28 December 2022
I attended the RVI Endocrinology Dept on 12 December this year. After having blood tests I was informed by phone the following day that I would need to start a course of medication and that my doctor would arrange. After numerous on-line enquiries and an unsuccessful telephone call I am still awaiting any response from the doctor. My follow-up appointment with the RVI is on the 13th January. I find this lack of response very stressful on top of any illness problems I am currently experiencing.
Visited December 2022
Ponteland Medical Group has not yet replied.
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Review titled Excellent experience
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 26 November 2022
I rang in the morning to request an appointment for my daughter who I suspected had an ear infection. I was given an appointment for an hour later and was quickly seen by the lovely male nurse practitioner. He was great with my daughter and prescribed medication that solved the infection within the next week. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience, thank you.
Visited November 2022
Ponteland Medical Group has not yet replied.
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Review titled Wait ages for an answer then no appointments
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 14 November 2022
Wait for nearly an hour for someone to answer and then told there were no pre bookable apts anyway (and never are) and no available today appointments and to ring back again tomorrow. This happened several days in a row, ringing on the dot of when they open (and then waiting 50-60 mins for an answer). If the GP tells you to book an appointment to see them how can you actually do this!! I have only once managed to get an actual appointment (and the GP themself made this on their system for me). We have had to resort to going to the walk in clinic who are entirely unsurprised that we are registered with this practice. What is the point in sending a survey saying do we want evening and weekend apts when none are bookable anyway?!
Visited November 2022
Ponteland Medical Group has not yet replied.