Text size

Theme

Language

"Not reliable "

About: Boleyn Medical Centre

I called the practice to request an appointment and I made use of the ‘call-back’ service that the clinic offers. I waited for nearly 2 hours and no one called me back. When I called the practice to ask for a reason, the lady at the phone just told me that she didn’t know why no one called, and she didn’t even know who to contact to complain about it. She kept saying ‘I apologise for the inconvenience’ as if she was a mechanic phone message and she told me to call back the day after or to use the online form. Unfortunately, I was only off today and I cannot keep my phone with me at work and it will be very hard for me to call unless it’s on a day off. Even if I complete the form, I would not be able to answer their call back until my day off. This means I will have to wait until next week and hope that someone answers the phone and knows what is going on in that clinic. This is totally unacceptable. No understanding at all for people that don’t have office hours at work.

More about:
nhs.uk logo
Do you have a similar story to tell? Tell your story & make a difference ››

Responses

Response from Boleyn Medical Centre 2 months ago
Boleyn Medical Centre
Submitted on 06/03/2025 at 13:53
Published on nhs.uk at 13:53


Dear Patient, I apologise for your experience.

When patients select the ‘call back’ feature, they receive an automatic call (triggered by the telephone software) when they reach the beginning of the queue. If this call is not answered, an automated text is sent to the patient (if it is a mobile number) explaining that the call back was missed. If you did not receive this text, then please contact us directly so that we can investigate this for you.

It is difficult to accommodate everyone’s timetable, but the Extended Access Service, Pharmacy First, online booking and online consultations have allowed more patients to seek medical attention and contact us at a time that is suitable for them, as this can all be done in the evenings and weekends as well.

When using online consultations, depending on the condition and detail provided, clinicians can respond via text, or request a telephone or face to face appointment. These appointment details are texted to patients, therefore viewable at any time, and if inconvenient, you can contact us between 8am-6.30pm Monday to Friday to rebook. We will always try to accommodate as best as possible.

I will ensure to remind staff how the call back feature works and that they should take the time to explain it to patients, as well as all the options available to them to seek medical attention. I will also discuss the importance of feeding back any issues patients have to management so that they can be investigated.

Thank you for your feedback.

  • {{helpful}} {{helpful == 1 ? "person thinks" : "people think"}} this response is helpful
Opinions
Next Response j
Previous Response k