Collingwood Health Group
Hawkeys Lane, North Shields, Tyne And Wear, NE29 0SFContact details and opening times
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Reviews
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Review titled No appointments- abandon all hope, suffer in silence
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Paul - Posted on 09 October 2024
I rarely need a GP appointment, but when I do, it's nigh on impossible to get one. According to the Collingwood Surgery website (on 8th Oct 24), an appointment can be booked using the NHS App- I tried it and it said 'cannot show GP appointments...call surgery directly'. I therefore called up after work at 5pm on 8th Oct 24 and was 14th in the queue. I waited patiently for 1hr 20mins where eventually I became stuck at position number 2 in the queue and I never got any further forwards. I ended up having to end the call as I realised it was then 6:20pm and the surgery shuts at 6pm...i.e. nobody was going to pick up. I therefore took the decision to travel to the surgery to visit in person on 9th Oct 24 in order to avoid the telephone torture again- even the call back feature has been removed. I asked at the desk to book an appointment and was told 'there's none left today'. I said this was fine as I would happily book an appointment in the coming days or weeks. The reply was that absolutely no appointments can be booked at the moment due to an upgrade of the computer system and that the only way to try and get an appointment is to phone up at 8:30am on the day or visit the surgery at 8:30am. In short, 'computer says no' and patients have to join the huge scrum and hope they get lucky in the appointment lottery (which makes me very anxious)- more chance of spotting Lord Lucan riding Shergar I think. They advised it will be like this until 21st October. I strongly avoid going to the GP and it takes me a while to pluck up the courage to seek help when I need it (usually much later than I should), only to be turned away- the service at Collingwood Surgery is not fit for purpose. I was advised to go to the walk in centre instead at NTGH. Looks like I'll have to find a new GP that meets the basic brief of allowing me to make an appointment once in a while. Collingwood Surgery: (1) Why isn't there a backup system for appointments if your main system is down? (I could knock you up an Excel spreadsheet in minutes which would do the job) (2) Who knowingly signed off on this mess? (3) Why have you lost sight of patient care by making your services completely inaccessible to those who work and can't join the 8:30am melee? I could not feel more let down by your practice.
Visited October 2024
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 09 October 2024
Dear Paul Many thanks for your review. I am sorry to hear of your difficulties in obtaining an appointment. At this current moment in time the practice is undergoing a significant change in our clinical system. This week is identified as "cut over" week meaning we are between two systems. To help manage this we are having to work slightly differently, further information regarding this is available on our website. To facilitate this transfer to a new clinical system all electronic links have to be temporarily halted - this includes the NHS app. The NHS app is not managed by the practice and the team that manage this advise us that patients do see a message regarding the temporary disconnection. Due to the system migration, we are currently experiencing a high volume of telephone calls and staff are working incredibly hard to process these calls as quickly and efficiently as possible. The call back facility on our new telephone is up and running and works effectively but this only kicks in when there are 10 patients in the queue. The call back facility ends at 5:00pm allowing sufficient time to process calls in the queue prior to the practice closure. Our business go live date for our new clinical system is Tuesday 15th October 2024. Until the system is live, we are unable to book future appointments. The problem you have experienced is not due to our main system being down, its due to the technicalities of moving from one system to another and there has to be a time when no further information is added to the legacy system, whilst the new system is being prepared to accept the data. The decision to change systems was not taken lightly and there were many reasons we made this decision, ultimately the change of system in the long term will enhance patient care. I absolutely understand and share your frustrations, the team have worked so incredibly to assist with the migration and I am sorry if the full message has not been explained to you. Further information regarding the migration is available on our website. If you would like us to investigate your individual concerns please don't hesitate to contact us. Once again, many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. Regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Poor Service
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Mrs Bell - Posted on 06 September 2024
When I tried to make appointment I waited nearly 3 weeks as no earlier appointment's. Appointment was arranged for 4pm, I was not called to see GP until 4.45pm. I don’t think is acceptable as if I had of attended my appointment 45 mins late I would have been advised I’d missed my appointment. Following on from my appointment I was advised to go for an X-ray and received text message to confirm this including days / times. When I attended following day for an X-ray was advised no referral so unable to go ahead. Tried to contact GP surgery to query but unable to speak to receptionist due to high call volume. When I eventually got through receptionist apologised doe error and advised my records would be updated. Feedback for reception staff is very helpful and not their fault. The surgery needs to make practical appointments for patience as 45 min delay is unacceptable and she a GP makes referral they should do it at the time to prevent wasting patients time and travelling for follow up appointments that haven’t been arranged.
Visited September 2024
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 09 September 2024
Dear Mrs Bell Many thanks for taking time to leave a review. I am sorry to hear that your experience of our service was less than satisfactory. I am also sorry to hear that the GP was running late on the day of your appointment. Unfortunately delays can occur due to a variety of reasons including medical emergencies. We are currently reviewing our appointment length and will be moving to 15 minutes appointments in the near future. I am also sorry to hear that there was a problem with your referral for an x-ray and would like to feed this back to the GP concerned if you could be kind enough to let us know which GP was involved with your care. I am pleased to note your positive feedback regarding our reception staff. Once again, thank you for taking the time to leave a review. Regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Demoralising
by Vanessa - Posted on 07 August 2024
Have attended this practice for over ten years. Staff are lovely. Rang the practice this afternoon and waited patiently for just over an hour. The call went through to reception and began to ring normally so I waited and waited and then call disconnected. I waited for one hour, one minute and nineteen seconds to be disconnected. I don't know how this is acceptable in a supposed civilised society.
Visited August 2024
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 08 August 2024
Dear Vanessa Thank you for taking time to leave a review on NHS reviews. I am sorry to hear of your difficulties with the telephone system. The telephone system is scheduled for replacement which was originally taking place at the end of July, but due to technical difficulties outside of the control of the practice this was postponed. This will now take place on the 27th August 2024. If you would like us to investigate your recent problem with the provider then please do contact us and we can investigate this further. We look forward to hearing from you in due course. Many thanks Regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Great & best practice I've been with.
Rated 4 stars out of 5
by Christopher McGrath - Posted on 08 August 2024
I've been registered at or with Collingwood health care either coming up to or just over a year now (since approx Jul/Aug 2023). I like the call back option of which I've had many an instance where I've rang & the call qué & or waiting time has been long & thus I chose the call back option of which kept my position & indeed I was called back. Also in respect of actual appointment requests, more often than not I've been able to get such within a reasonable amount of time, including several occasions calling mid morning & or even mid afternoon & being offered & given an appointment the same day & while I've had times in which I've struggled to get through, such instances have fortunately been few & far between. I find the reception staff to be friendly, courteous & considerate & the medical staff to to be excellent. Ultimately Collingwood health care is the best GP surgery & or group that I've been registered with & while not always perfect for me more often than not they have been. Thank you to all the staff who work for Collingwood health care, I for one much appreciate you're hard work dedication..
Visited July 2024
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 09 August 2024
Dear Mr McGrath Thank you for taking time to leave a review. Thank you also for your very kind comments. I am pleased to hear that our telephone call back system has worked well for you. I am also very pleased to read your kind comments regarding the medical and administrative staff. They all work incredibly hard, undertaking a very difficult job in challenging circumstances. I will be happy to share your feedback to colleagues. Thank you again for taking the time to leave a review. Regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Uncontactable - can't even get the basics right
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 25 June 2024
As a minimum, you should be able to actually telephone a practice and get through. I tried calling the surgery yesterday, all day long it wouldn't even add me to the queue because all queue positions were full. Tried again this morning, same thing. Tried at just after 5pm, I'm at queue position 50 (their telephone queue holds a maximum of 50) which, from bitter experience, I know they won't get to within an hour so will be closed and I won't get through. They are still, after all this time (years?), saying it's their telephone system that is at fault. This doesn't wash because: 1. I don't believe that, if your system can handle 50 people at a time it has plenty of capacity, the problem is that you don't have enough people answering the phone - something I've witnessed when in the surgery. It's usualy one person, which is beyond belief for a large practice. 2. If that really was the problem you should have invested in a new system a very long time ago. I work full-time, I can't spend 2-3 hours on the phone during working hours. My son can't get his next lot of medication until he has an appointment. What is he supposed to do? Go without? Do I have to take a day off work just so I can telephone the surgery? You can't even get the basics right.
Visited June 2024
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 26 June 2024
Dear Anonymous Many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I am sorry to hear your experience of our service was less than satisfactory. I received your review via the NHS Website on the 25th June 2024. I note that you referred to contacting the practice "yesterday" and therefore presume this was in relation to Monday 24th June 2024. Unfortunately, over the course of this week there has been a fault with our telephone system. This has been reported to the telephone provider who are still currently working on this. I have asked the team to keep me informed. As you are aware the practice has been keen to replace the current telephone system for some time and work has been on-going in relation to this. I am pleased to say that at the beginning of this year the order for a new system was placed. Subsequent cabling at all three of our sites has been completed. The work and time invested in these areas was quite substantial and the majority of the work was undertaken at weekends in order to cause as minimum disruption to the working day as possible. The practice has now completed its welcome meeting and configuration meeting with the new provider, and we are currently awaiting a go live date. As soon as we are aware of this date, we will notify patients accordingly. I am sorry that this project has taken some time and appreciate the support and patience that we have received from our patients. Anonymous reviews often do not provide sufficient information in order for us to investigate individual matters, therefore if you would like us to investigate your case on an individual basis, please contact us direct. Once again, many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Poor service
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Livvy - Posted on 28 April 2024
I suffer from cystitis 3 or 4 times each year and usually take a sample into the practice. Unfortunately, now, I need to speak to a doctor before taking a sample in. As it’s almost impossible to get through on the phone this means I need to go into the surgery to ask for an appointment to speak to a doctor then I need to go into the practice with a sample. I live by myself so can’t ask someone to go in for me. Believe me, I know it’s cystitis. I need to wear incontinence pants to go into the surgery. I find this very embarrassing. If someone is a regular sufferer can nothing be done to make this process easier?
Visited February 2024
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 29 April 2024
Dear Livvy Many thanks for taking the time to leave some feedback. I am sorry to hear your descript of our service as poor. We do appreciate the circumstances you mention are distressing and we would much prefer to look at your individual case and offer solutions. Please do get in touch if you would like us to do this. In general the practice is aware of the difficulties many patients experience in contacting the surgery, this is also an issue for many other practices locally and nationally. We are expecting a new telephony service to be available shortly which we hope will make contacting the surgery quicker and easier. Our Doctors and Nurses want to provide good clinical care and this means managing you the patient as a whole and not just treating symptoms. As this is an ongoing issue for you and one which has many factors and causes we would expect that further evaluation and other treatment measures would be offered. There are several self measures that can also have a positive impact on your symptoms. Please find a link to these below: https://shorturl.at/bjkRY Please do contact us direct if you would like us to look at your individual case. Many thanks regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled It was once a good practice
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Frederick Philip Daw - Posted on 16 December 2023
A phone appointment system that does not work, waiting 3 weeks for an appointment. All just before christmas and now waiting for hospital follow ups. We must remember it is part of a group of surgery's and does not stand alone. They are all located within less than a mile of each other apart from new york even that is not unreachable. Why can't the phone calls be handled as a group also the opportunity to visit one of the other practices if the patient deems it that much of an urgent case they don't mind which doctor they see? My family doctor retired and he is a big miss.
Visited November 2023
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 20 December 2023
Dear Mr Daw Many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. I am sorry to hear that your recent experience has been less than satisfactory. We understand your frustration in relation to our telephone system. Unfortunately, it does not have the capabilities to be managed as one system across all three sites. However, we have been in discussions lately with new telephone providers and are confident that the telephone system will be replaced early 2024. We do encourage patients to try and see the same GP for the purposes of continuity, however, it is not a problem if a patient would rather be seen at one of our branch surgeries. Our practice is currently offering the maximum number of appointments that we can safely provide our patients. There will always be a limit to the number of appointments that any practice is able to provide for their patients in accordance with available resources of time, rooms and personnel and often demand for our services simply exceeds the available capacity and resources that we have. As I hope you will understand, General Practices across the UK are facing an unprecedented level of demand for their services. This is in part due to an inevitable backlog of routine matters which were deferred during our lockdown periods but is also caused by additional factors such as population growth and changing needs of patients without corresponding growth in central funding or support. If you would like us to investigate any individual concerns, please could you be kind enough to contact us directly. Once again, many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. Regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Refused a doctor's appointment
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 16 October 2023
This morning I was refused a Doctor's appointment. I took a letter from my hospital consultant with me to show reception staff. The consultant requested various issues to be addressed by a GP. The receptionist refused to give me a doctor's appointment. She gave me an appointment for next week to have my blood pressure taken by a nurse. I asked again to get a doctor's appointment and was told that "we'll see after you have your blood pressure taken". It would seem the reception staff think they are better qualified than a consultant.
Visited October 2023
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 17 October 2023
Dear Anonymous Many thanks for taking time to leave a review. I am sorry to hear that your experience of our service has been less than satisfactory. Unfortunately anonymous reviews do not provide us with sufficient information to be able to investigate your concerns and we would therefore be grateful if you could be kind enough to contact us so we can investigate the matter further. Once again, many thanks for taking the time to leave a review. regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Superb support
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by John Liddle - Posted on 17 October 2023
A big shout out for your receptionist. It has taken us four weeks to try to find out how to get a non-Pfizer vaccine for my wife. We have talked to our own practice, the RVI, the 119 service, 18 pharmacies and the Tyne House centre. I’ve even tried contacting Moderna. We have been sent round and round in circles, and given incorrect information at every turn. I rang your surgery as part of a list of 8 given to me by119. When there was no answer, my expectations were low. But - a couple of hours later, I got a call back. Your receptionist was cheerful and thought she knew the answer, but went the extra mile, made the call to check and called me back promptly, having arranged for someone at the hub to call me. Brilliant!!! Great service, really efficient - and I hate to think how much all the previous contacts cost, getting it wrong. You wouldn’t publish their name, I think, but I’ll happily provide it privately if you don’t already know. Thank you
Visited October 2023
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 18 October 2023
Dear Mr Liddle Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review. I am delighted to hear that the service you received from reception staff was great. I can confirm I have shared your review with the team. Thank you once again for taking the time to leave a review. Regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager
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Review titled Awful. Disgusting service
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 22 August 2023
Called 3 times today waiting an hour each time. Ridiculous when working full time and just leaving the desk to make "a quick call". Still unable to reach anyone to ask if a prescription I requested a week ago has been issued. If there was another surgery in the area I would leave this practice.
Visited August 2023
Review titled Collingwood Health Group
Replied on 29 August 2023
Dear Anonymous Many thanks for taking time to leave a review. I am sorry you encountered difficulties contacting us by telephone. Unfortunately anonymous feedback does not provide us with sufficient information to investigate your concerns fully. I am happy to raise a request with our telephone provider to investigate the matter further but would require dates, times and telephone numbers you were ringing from in order to do so. If you would like us to investigate further please let us know. Once again, thank you for taking time to leave a review. regards Sandra Dowling Practice Manager