Bridge Road Surgery

I couldn't get into the flu clinic at the surgery but we needed it so had to book with the pharmacy which I know is less agreeable to them. Today our appointment is running 30 mins late but not sure why as just for a jab.

Filled out form online, gave them the benefit of doubt concerning urgency. Told them I would be available next day after applying, or next days after. Form said I would be contacted within 7 days, was satisfied with this.

Then I get mail telling me, they are only doing a same day service, so apply another day. Yet they say on form you might get reply within a week. This is a bad service now, when are we going to revert back to seeing a GP when we need face to face, booked by phone or going to surgery, instead of this ridiculous form filling, which is traumatic for pensioners living alone, without family. Everybody are treated the same with this system, which as I say is frightening for old people No wonder hospital A/E is so overworked. This must be changed.

Also bring back having your own registered doctor, instead of seeing all doctors. At moment, you never see your own registered Dr. which obviously doesn't know your problems. It is frightening now to be aged, and have health problems. We must change this.

Also receptionists are no longer friendly in their manner. They treat you on the phone like lesser mortals, and mostly are arrogant in conversation.

It is almost impossible to book an appointment to see my GP if I do not own a smart phone or computer. Many people my age do not own such items and are left with considerable difficulty obtaining appointments.

Booking must be online for that day ONLY. The system closes as soon as it is full (around 9am). I am trying to book an annual consultation. Why can't the online appointment request system function as an 24/7 inbox for a response? It has been designed around immediate emergencies ONLY not ongoing conditions or a responsive service. In desperation I spoke to the reception & was encouraged to submit a formal complaint for change.

I have elderly relatives who need primary health care but the level of service they have received is appalling. You need to be IT literate , the website is very difficult to navigate if you have a visual impairment. The information is negative and lists all the reasons why you should not use the service. You are expected to diagnose yourself. Reception staff need training.

After being advised to call 999, I asked them for a repeat prescription I assured them my BP was normal, no pains, my breathing was fine I just needed to update GTN

Me and my Husband recently attended our Midwife appointment (this was all fine) where we normally sit together in the waiting room. However, there are now no seats together as you have to leave two seats free per every seat!
This is not the case at all anywhere else even in hospitals so I sat on a seat next to my husband which had a note on and was told off!
We advised the man that it was a very silly rule and did you expect children and parents, elderly and the caregivers to all sit 3 seats apart too?
Please make there an option for couples/those coming together to sit next to each other as well as single seats as this is just ridiculous!

The last encounter I had with a member of the reception staff was a positive one - the staff member was a different one from the rude, indifferent receptionist who prompted my leaving the feedback on your website previously. Although this wasn't the first time this sort of rudeness had happened it was happening more and more often - to the point where I didn't really want to have to go to the surgery and have to "run the gauntlet" of the reception staff. I get the impression that the reception staff require good training in how to engage with the public. If a receptionist is unable to deal with a person straight away then a polite acknowledgement that they are aware you are there and will attend to you as soon as they can is all it takes and when finally engaging person to person then a friendly, helpful approach makes all the difference to having a good, positive experience at the surgery rather than coming away feeling that you have been treated rudely and as though you don't matter and are a nuisance. After all - without the patients there would be no need for a receptionist!!!! Also, it has made me question in the past, why do people do a job which involves interacting with the public if they blatantly don't like doing it?!!!

I am a retired NHS hospital medical secretary and know the importance of a kind and caring approach to patients. In all the years I have been registered at this practice I have never made a complaint or left negative feedback until now; it seems to me that the standards at Bridge Road Surgery are in decline at the moment. I would like to be clear that I understand the restrictions the NHS is having to work under due to Covid 19 but the decline at Bridge Road Surgery started well before 2020.

My mother has ongoing health issues that have not been properly addressed. The practice does not take phone bookings, reporting that it is "quicker and easier for you to book online". After filling out a lengthy referral process on her behalf I was informed that her GP doesn't work today and please fill out another form tomorrow. I asked if the information could be passed to the GP tomorrow but was told "no, the system doesn't work like that".
How is this quicker and easier for me?

On 2 occasions my at the time 7 month old boy was taken to the doctors on 3 occasions with trouble breathing wheezing and a cough to be told 3 times its viral and will clear itself, on the saturday we were taken to james paget and told he had a chest infection and bronchitis and that they could not believe we had been sent away 3 times previous, the doctor was so concerned he was going to keep my little boy in overnight for observations but gave us a chance to take him home and start the steriods and anti-biotics, but left a bed available for that night if we had concerns.

Then the second time, my son is now 2, we took him back for a continuous chesty cough not eating or drinking and very sleepy and constant temp of 38+ told again it was viral and his body will fight it - any concerns go back, ended up down james paget later that evening 10:30pm to be told he has bacterial tonsillitis. The doctor at the surgery didn't even check his throat. Another course of anti-biotics and a missed chance to actually correctly diagnose my son again. While I appreciate its busy, and times are hard, but to incorrectly diagnose on 2 occasion is not acceptable.