DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE
77 High Street, Polegate, East Sussex, BN26 6AEContact details and opening times
Patient ratings and reviews
Leave a review
Help others by sharing your thoughts and experiences about DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE.
Reviews
-
Review titled Always try their best
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Diane J eadon - Posted on 19 July 2023
I've been with Downlands all my life and I am 34. The staff are always trying their best to service their patients but unfortunately a lot of bad reviews are for reasons that they cannot control. They are simply too busy for the amount of people that they have to serve, and get seemly no help from the government in sorting out this problem. Their solution is to build more houses.... In spite of this the GPs are always friendly and the poor reception staff are always as helpful as they can be despite often not being able to do much because they have too many patients. The practise manager is always happy to discuss issues with the patients and they will always point you in the best direction for getting help.
Visited July 2023
Review titled DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE
Replied on 07 August 2023
Dear Mrs Eadon . Thank you for your comments and we are pleased to learn of your positive experience of using the medical services provided by Downlands Medical Centre. We are very grateful for you taking your time to highlight your feedback and will pass it on to the staff and GPs.
-
Review titled A practice with issues in many areas
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Simon - Posted on 15 June 2023
I have some kind of ear infection and waited until it had been over a week before contacting the practice using the Engage Consult service. Unlike other surgeries which have this service available 24x7, Downlands for some reason only have this available 0700-1000 Tuesday to Thursday and 9 times out of 10 the response comes from another surgery within the Primary Care Network. The only available appointment option from Engage Consult was a phone appointment and from that call I was prescribed a course of antibiotics for the diagnosed ear infection. Bear in mind this was not a video call. I was told to contact again for an in person appointment if the symptoms did not clear or if they got worse. I have now completed the course of antibiotics and the symptoms have not cleared so called up at 0830 on the dot to be told I was 45th in the queue. At 0930 the call was answered and I attempted to get an in person appointment as instructed but was told no appointments and to call again tomorrow at 0830. I expect the situation will be the same when I call tomorrow morning. The practice at the beginning of May had over 10,000 patients registered and the website showing 6 GPs, one of which works part time roughly 0.5 Fte (Full Time Equivalence), the other 5 work 4 days in the practice which is 0.8 Fte. which is essentially 4.5 Fte GPs, this means there are roughly 2,200 patients per Fte GP. Despite this they are still registering new patients. The service of late has got progressively worse and borders on non-existent for a large portion of that time. Annual check ups for a chronic condition I have are not booked nor are the regular blood tests that should apparently take place. I do not believe that a new medical centre merging the practice with the nearby one will make much difference to this as we will still have a hugely oversubscribed combined practice.
Visited June 2023
Review titled DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE
Replied on 20 June 2023
We are sorry to hear of your bad experience. Please contact the Practice Manager to discuss this further.
-
Review titled Terrible service too many patients
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 04 May 2023
It is impossible to get through for an appointment, I called at 8.29 and was caller 25 in the que. There are too many patients and there seems to be no limit on how many they take on. You can only book via phone, you used to be able call in the morning for morning appointments and afternoon for afternoon appointments but they have stopped this which means you have no hope now of seeing anyone. If you do manage to get an appointment it's always a different doctor so they don't actually know you, you are just a number out of thousands!! You will hold for an hour to be told there are no appointments left, why not have a cut off eg if there are only 25 appointments and I'm caller no. 26 divert me to a msg to say its not worth holding!! When I have managed to get through I get asked if it is an urgent doctors appointment??? What is considered an urgent doctors appointment? If you want to book in advance we are talking 6-8 weeks. Don't know what has changed since covid but I always thought this was a great surgery but since they shut their doors during that time something changed. There should be a limit on patients or no one is getting use of their doctors!!!
Visited May 2023
Review titled DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE
Replied on 20 June 2023
We are sorry to hear of your bad experience. Please contact the Practice Manager to discuss this further.
-
Review titled Impossible to see a doctor
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 03 February 2023
I’ve not seen a doctor in over 4 years - despite trying to. I now have an ear infection/ deafness and tried calling 111. They put through a referral to Downlands, but Downlands said they can’t accept the referral as they don’t have the capacity. So my deafness will now go without proper treatment. I’m now going to have to cancel my endoscopy referral to the hospital as I’m not having that done with so much pain in my ear!! I want to deal with one thing at a time! The nurses and doctors are very good/helpful, but how can a GP surgery have so many patients that local residents like me can never get to see a doctor!
Visited January 2023
Review titled DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE
Replied on 20 June 2023
We are sorry to hear of your bad experience. Please contact the Practice Manager to discuss this further.
-
Review titled overall good doctors
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 07 November 2022
yes, the phone lines like any practice are bad, but no one i know has a doctor that's any better. So as annoying as it is it's not a problem just here. The staff are always very helpful and do as much as they can to try and sort out what you need. The doctors have always been very helpful and listen to what the issue is and what you want to do about it, the best way for you. i have been registered with Quintin's doctors before and i would 100% use downlands every time over them.
Visited November 2022
Review titled DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE
Replied on 07 August 2023
Dear Patient. Thank you for your comments and we are pleased to learn of your positive experience of using the medical services provide by Downlands Medical Centre. We are very grateful for you taking the time to highlight your feedback.
-
Review titled Disappointing
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anne Bolland - Posted on 27 October 2022
I am a carer my husband has dementia. I Telephoned at 8.30 and waited 1hour 40 minutes to arrange an appointment for my husband but was only to be told there were no appointments left and my choices were to ring again the next day or ring 111. If I rang next day there was no guarantee I would wait again on the phone without success
Visited October 2022
Review titled DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE
Replied on 27 October 2022
We are sorry to learn of your dissatisfaction with the service provided by Downlands Medical Centre. Please contact the Practice Manager or Assistant Practice Manager if you would like to discuss your complaint further. You can email us at sxicb-esx.downlandsmedicalcentre@nhs.net
-
Review titled Extremely frustrating phoning in
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 30 September 2022
I needed to call in but was in the queue for 1hr 50 mins. I started at no3 and was no1 for an hour. Your previous responses state you are over stretched and at max staffing levels to receive calls. These are blatant lies and excuses. How can you be at max staffing levels and not be able to deal with 3 phone calls in 2hrs? Your automated message states (every 10 seconds) that my call is very important to you, obviously not!
Visited September 2022
Review titled DOWNLANDS MEDICAL CENTRE
Replied on 27 October 2022
Dear Anonymous, we are sorry to learn of your dissatisfaction with the service provided by Downlands Medical Centre. Please contact the Practice Manager or Assistant Practice Manager if you would like to discuss your complaint further. You can email us at sxicb-esx.downlandsmedicalcentre@nhs.net