Knebworth & Marymead Practice
7 St Martins Road, Knebworth, Hertfordshire, SG3 6ERContact details and opening times
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Reviews
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Review titled Does anyone read the reviews?
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 18 June 2024
I don’t understand how this practice works these days. I waited 56 mins ( I was 6th in the queue), only to be told that I couldn’t be seen at Marymead. There seem to be no appointments at Marymead anymore, as I am constantly directed to Knebworth. I don’t drive and am a carer to my husband who has Alzheimer’s. To get to and from knebworth means taking 4 buses in total. As the bus service is appalling, it can take more than 3 hours to attend an appointment. I rarely see a GP, more likely to be a PA or other clinician. There is no continuity of care. Who is actually in charge of this surgery now?
Visited June 2024
Review titled Knebworth & Marymead Practice
Replied on 10 October 2024
Dear Patient, Thank you for your feedback, and I’m truly sorry to hear about the difficulties you’ve encountered, especially regarding appointments at Marymead and the travel challenges to Knebworth. We do still run surgeries at Marymead, but due to ongoing structural problems, we have had to limit the number of patients attending for safety reasons. We are in constant negotiations to resolve these issues and hope to restore full services there as soon as possible. I also want to clarify that we don’t have Physician Associates (PAs) at our practice. We do, however, have highly experienced Advanced Care Practitioners who are fully supported when needed to provide safe and effective care. I understand your concerns around continuity of care and apologise for any inconvenience this has caused. If there is anything we can do to further support you and your husband, please don’t hesitate to let us know. Best regards, MS
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Review titled Lack of information
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Mr Christopher Main - Posted on 14 June 2024
The Total Triage system is a waste of time. Web site says it's open from 0800hrs but when you try & log in this part doesn't open until 0830hrs. Total lack of information on opening times so I rang the surgery to find out what was going on which defeats the object of the service.
Visited June 2024
Review titled Knebworth & Marymead Practice
Replied on 10 October 2024
Dear Mr. Main, Thank you for your feedback, and I’m sorry to hear about your frustration with the Total Triage system. I understand how confusing it must have been to see conflicting information about when the system opens. We are aware of this issue and are working on updating the information on our website to make it clearer for patients. I apologise for the inconvenience this has caused and for the need to contact the surgery by phone, which, as you mentioned, defeats the purpose of the triage system. Thank you for bringing this to our attention, and we will ensure improvements are made. Best regards, MS
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Review titled In person communication failures
Rated 1 star out of 5
by James T - Posted on 24 June 2024
Do not answer the phone, I endeavoured to gain resolve or even an answer over the phone. Lastest experience, I used Four Mobile phones and Two Landlines at 07.59 until 09.17, highest in queue Seventeenth place. Impossible to E-mail either of the surgeries, either directly or via their useless web service. Closing thought. Health care is a personal 'people' business..... Yet the reception window at Marymead, has been blocked off for over a year!!!
Visited June 2024
Review titled Knebworth & Marymead Practice
Replied on 26 September 2024
Dear James T, Thank you for your feedback. I’m sorry to hear about the difficulties you’ve faced in reaching us and your frustrations with our phone systems. We recognise that our current phone system is not fit for purpose, and we have been working on changing it for over a year. Unfortunately, due to legal complexities, the process has taken much longer than we anticipated, but we are continuing to push for a resolution. Regarding the Marymead Surgery, we have had to limit its use for patient safety due to its poor state of repair. We are currently in negotiations to address this and hope to make improvements soon. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this has caused and are working hard to resolve these issues as quickly as possible. Best regards, MS
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Review titled Cancellations
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 17 May 2024
I am not able to cancel an appointment due to the on line system consistently being ‘temporarily closed’ due to overload! We are constantly reminded of how much it costs the NHS each time we fail to arrive for an appointment yet frustratingly the system actively prevents cancellation. Is there some way this can be altered so that cancellations alone at least can be acknowledged
Visited May 2024
Review titled Knebworth & Marymead Practice
Replied on 10 October 2024
Dear Patient, Thank you for your feedback, and I’m sorry to hear about the difficulty you’ve faced in trying to cancel an appointment online. We understand how important it is to allow patients to easily cancel appointments, especially given the impact missed appointments can have on the NHS. We are aware that the online system can be overloaded at times, and we agree that a more streamlined process for cancellations would be helpful. We are currently reviewing how we can make cancellations easier for patients, even during busy periods, and appreciate your suggestion. Thank you for your understanding and patience as we work to improve the service. Best regards, MS
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Review titled Terrible management of appointment booking
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 17 May 2024
I first went online to use systmonline to try to book an appointment, going through the practice home page and it wouldn't let me log in, and wouldn't reset my password. I then tried total triage and it was "outside of core hours" So I finally phoned up the surgery and sat waiting for 40 minutes. On getting through I was told - Systmonline doesn't operate any more - Total triage opens from 8:30am and 2:00pm each week day and stays open only until a certain number of requests have been submitted - And finally that reception does not book appointments, so that was a waste of time and I have to try pot luck next week. How can people think that that is the way anything can be run. I can see why they do it, so they don't have to deal with the volume of people actually needing a doctor.
Visited May 2024
Review titled Knebworth & Marymead Practice
Replied on 10 October 2024
Dear Patient, Thank you for your feedback, and I’m sorry to hear about the frustrations you’ve experienced with booking an appointment. I’d like to clarify that while our Total Triage system does close after reaching a safe number of routine requests, urgent requests can still be phoned through. If your request isn’t urgent, we do ask that you wait until the next day when Total Triage reopens. We understand this can be frustrating, but NHS GP services are under significant strain, and we have to manage demand in the safest way possible to ensure we can provide appropriate care. We apologise for any inconvenience this has caused and appreciate your understanding as we continue to improve the service. Best regards, MS
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Review titled Online service
Rated 4 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 10 May 2024
I appreciate that the surgery are providing more online services to cope with demand and this seems a really helpful idea. I have logged in online and wish to book a 16week midwife appt and whooping cough vaccine for 4 weeks time. However the ‘book appointment’ form says there are no available appointments for the next 2months. And there is nowhere else to register your request. Perhaps a section to update your details if pregnant, or a request form to fill in for receptionists to process would be helpful? Instead I am left with no option but to phone which is so very busy these days. I have so far been waiting in the phone queue for 30mins and am number 4 in the queue. Perhaps more receptionists may be helpful but I guess there is no budget for that.
Visited May 2024
Review titled Knebworth & Marymead Practice
Replied on 10 October 2024
Dear Patient, Thank you for your feedback, and I’m glad to hear that you find our online services helpful. I’m sorry, however, that you were unable to book your midwife appointment or whooping cough vaccine through the system. We appreciate your suggestion to add a section for pregnancy-related updates or a request form for our receptionists, and we will certainly look into how we can improve this process to make it easier for patients. We understand the frustration of having to phone when the system is busy, and we are always striving to improve our services within the resources available. Thank you again for your suggestions and patience. Best regards, MS
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Review titled Lack of support
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Paul - Posted on 09 May 2024
My son who is 13 has had a bad stomach for a while and is being sick after physical activity and missing out on school. I appreciate that surgeries and doctors alike are under stress and a lot of this is down to lack of funding from a criminal government but it’s hard enough to get in contact with the surgery as it is without it taking 45+ minutes to get through on a call or the online triage ceasing an hour after it has started at 8.30am. My son is 13, shouldn’t be ill like this or missing school. Surely, children should be a priority to be seen and not have to wait 4 weeks for an appointment.
Visited May 2024
Review titled Knebworth & Marymead Practice
Replied on 10 October 2024
Dear Paul, Thank you for your feedback, and I’m very sorry to hear about your son’s health issues and the difficulties you’ve had in getting an appointment. I understand how concerning it is when your child is unwell and missing school. I apologise for the long wait you’ve experienced in trying to get through to us and for the delay in securing an appointment. This is an ongoing challenge in general practice, and we are working hard to manage demand and improve access, but I understand this doesn’t make it any less frustrating for you. Thank you for your understanding, and if you need further support, please don’t hesitate to contact us via our online system or by visiting the practice. Best regards, MS
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Review titled Outstanding, Surprisingly.
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 10 May 2024
I'd put off seeking an appointment for some time, partly based on dispiriting past experiences of dealing with reception staff and the woeful on-line booking system, and also the daily stories about long waits etc. However, I was given a link to a new website, which, though I object to having to fill in a form online at all, still less to hazard a guess about what my symptoms might mean in response to a question 'what are you worried about', (words to that effect), the system worked perfectly. Within an hour or so I had a medical student call and take a detailed case history of the two concerns I had, within about three hours I was with the doctor at Marymead surgery and by the end of the consultation I felt that action was being taken. I don't know if I was lucky on this occasion, or whether my 'senior' age had something to do with it, but really, I don't see how it could have gone better. The only annoying/disappointing factors were a three week wait for blood tests, and the fact that when I went to deliver samples the next day as requested, the surgery was closed. If I'd been told the surgery would be closed I could have obviously saved a wasted journey. All in all though, it would be churlish to complain too much about this. I wanted to see a doctor and got to see one within a few hours, so from my point of view it was mission accomplished.
Visited April 2024
Review titled Knebworth & Marymead Practice
Replied on 10 October 2024
Dear Patient, Thank you for your detailed feedback, and I’m glad to hear that, overall, your recent experience was a positive one and that the new system worked smoothly for you. It’s great to know that you were seen promptly and felt that action was taken regarding your concerns. I understand your reservations about filling out the online form and your frustrations about the wait for blood tests and the closed surgery when delivering samples. We are constantly reviewing the system to improve clarity, and we apologise for the inconvenience caused by the surgery being closed unexpectedly. We recognise the challenges of managing both online and in-person services, and while our phone lines remain available for urgent requests, we do appreciate your patience with the online triage system, which allows us to handle routine care safely. Thank you again for your understanding, and we’re happy that we could meet your needs on this occasion. Best regards, MS
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Review titled Not an 'Efficient Online Request Service'
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 22 April 2024
The triage system is user friendly, easy to navigate and clear. However nothing then happens, no acknowledgement, no appointment, no way of following progress. Did my request go into cyber space? What's the point in insisting this is the route to use when it results in nothing? I dare not call and have my ears bitten off by disgruntled staff ..... all I want is an appointment ... I am surely entitled to that as is everyone else. I appreciate everyone is busy - I am too! Very busy - and Im willing to wait for an appointment, so all in all, I'm doing my best to be a good service user but even I have a breaking point.
Visited April 2024
Review titled Knebworth & Marymead Practice
Replied on 10 October 2024
Dear Patient, Thank you for your feedback, and I’m glad to hear that you found the triage system user-friendly. However, I’m sorry to hear about your frustration with the lack of acknowledgment or follow-up after submission. There is an option within the triage process to receive an acknowledgment of submission, as the software we use (Accurx) should confirm receipt of your request. We apologise if this didn’t happen in your case, and we can look into why you didn’t receive a response. We appreciate your patience and understanding, and if you still need assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out to us again. Best regards, MS
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Review titled Getting Worse!!
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Not Given - Posted on 20 March 2024
Cant speak to Receptionist without doing a lenghty triage form half the time you cant use it due to high demand. Have to wait 5 weeks to get an a appointment just to get a prescription. Very frustrating service. Terrible service!!! I have had to pay to see a private GP
Visited March 2024
Knebworth & Marymead Practice has not yet replied.