Riverside Medical Centre
194 Victoria Road, Walton-Le-Dale, Preston, Lancashire, PR5 4AYContact details and opening times
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Reviews
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Review titled Staff need further training
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Louise - Posted on 18 September 2024
My partner called the practice today to chase what was happening with a referral. The person he spoke to point blank refused to chase it, or to speak to the doctor to see if there was any progress as "we don't do that". Which is just odd, so this GP surgery never chases any referral ever? The receptionist was dismissive to his concerns and downright rude. I am astounded. This is a GP surgery, whose reception staff clearly have no knowledge of how to deal with any situation aside from booking appointments. They also lack any form of compassion or customer service skills. The person he spoke to did call him back a few hours later, to tell him there was no update and even if there was the GP was off today and none of the other GPs in the surgery could deal with it. Which is odd as this wasn't mentioned in the earlier call. Again she was rude and dismissive and she then hung up part way through my partner asking a question and instead sent him a text 20 minutes later to detail the rest of what she wanted to say. We've had many issues with this surgery and this member of staff previously, but this really takes the biscuit. I've now registered with a new surgery and, once this referral has been sorted my partner will be doing the same.
Visited September 2024
Riverside Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled Appalling service regarding prescription.
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 21 August 2024
Called the surgery today as I have medication prescribed by the hospital which for some reason Riverside will still not add to my repeat prescriptions on the app. Explained all this to the lady I'm not allowed to name on here, who answered the phone, and mentioned that I was running low (I only have enough left for 2 days) and she advised me I needed to either order it on the app or go to the surgery and put my slip in the box for repeat prescriptions. Explained to her multiple times that it's not on the app and I don't have a repeat prescription slip as this surgery still won't add it to my repeat prescription list. She then advised that I would need to send a message on the app and see if a GP can issue the medication to me. I've just sent the message to then be advised it will be 3 days before the message is picked up. I've only got 2 days medication left so the messaging service is of no use to me whatsoever. This surgery are so obstructive when you ask for help. It's almost like they aren't allowed to go off script or put any actual thought into solving problems or actually helping their patients. This is not the first time we've experienced such poor service from this surgery. We will be changing surgery asap as this exact same issue occured last month and Riverside have done absolutely nothing to sort this issue out. Surely it's not unreasonable to ask that my prescribed medication, which I need to take long term, is added to my repeat prescription list, so that I can order it easily via the app, without being made to jump through multiple hoops every single month.
Visited August 2024
Riverside Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled A nightmare to contact
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Louise - Posted on 17 June 2024
No option to speak to anyone on the phone unless you are making an appointment, progress chasing a referal or requesting a private letter. No option to message via the MyGp or NHS app. Very long story short, ordered my prescription to be delivered by Boots. Riverside have approved the prescription but not sent it to Boots so it's been cancelled, can't speak to anyone at the surgery and now have no medication left. Currently looking at other surgery's in the area so I can leave ASAP.
Visited June 2024
Review titled Riverside Medical Centre
Replied on 17 June 2024
Dear Louise Please can you contact me direct at liz.gorrell@nhs.net with your full name. If my colleague remembers correctly, she was dealing with a lady called Louise prescription on Friday - and we can give her the right to reply direct to you via email. Thank you Riverside Medical Centre
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Review titled Really gone down hill
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Stephen Armstrong - Posted on 14 June 2024
I have been with this practice for over 30 years and I am disappointed at its decline. You struggle to get through to them on the phone (currently been waiting 1 1/2 hours to speak to Secretaries and Referrals! When you do get through you can not always make an appointment you are just asked to ring back next day at 8am? Riverside can not be contacted by email or message just phone or call in, absolute shambles for non urgent issues. Their website has a complaints & feedback link but both have been temporarily removed? Update: after waiting for almost 2 hours listening to the recorded message “your call is important to us” I hung up & tried dialling again to be greeted with “line closed please call back….” Really! Tomorrow is Saturday & you are not open.
Visited June 2024
Riverside Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled Not great
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 22 May 2024
I was referred to the practice nurse really quickly and have no issue with that, however, she recommended some blood tests and the first opportunity for that was in 16 days at the surgery. I find that unacceptable and can’t understand why I couldn’t go to a blood clinic as I have previously done which was quicker.
Visited May 2024
Review titled Riverside Medical Centre
Replied on 28 May 2024
Dear Anonymous You are able to collect your blood form from the Nurse or from the Reception team and attend one of the walk in centres for your blood test if the 16 day wait for the Phlebotomy service at the surgery was not acceptable. The Reception team are also able to provide you with a list of places where you can attend externally. The service provided at Riverside Medical Centre for Phlebotomy is from an external source and therefore we are restricted to the days they can attend - 3 mornings a week - and unfortunately when they are full it may be a small wait should you wish to have bloods taken at the surgery. If the bloods were requested urgently by the GP or Clinician and the form noted accordingly, then an attempt would be made by the Reception Team to accommodate you with a Practice Nurse, where possible. should you wish to discuss further please email me direct at liz.gorrell@nhs,net Thank you Riverside Medical Centre
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Review titled Not fit for purpose
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 22 January 2024
I struggled to get in for a examination before a operation. I had to email and complain as couldnt get a appointment. When I got there, there is only me and one other person but they were constantly telling people they were fully booked. I got examined by a junior and operation next day, was all last minute. Dr tell you to book in and receptionists can never get you in. I managed to get a call back once which took over a week. My health is bad and I need to be seen and they say go walk in centre which cant even deal with my issue so I've had to resort to going straight to a&e. They also kept taking my prescriptions off repeat and Im still with out medication as cant get through and when you do they ignorant. Still getting infections and sick every day after my operation and for over a month now Ive been trying to get in. Just disgraceful. What's the point in this place if it only there to keep certain people in a job? Just shocking, they make it so hard to get in when its there job and duty. Staff all having a ball in there too when I was their. Im move as its to much, you get no help here. Took my surgeon 5 email and 3 operation camcelations too just to get antibiotics as I keep getting infections. My operation went ahead while my gall bladder was inflamed it, there was complications. Im considering leaving the city as it seems normal for these drs to be like this and ive never experienced nothing like it before.
Visited January 2024
Review titled Riverside Medical Centre
Replied on 22 January 2024
Please can you email me direct at liz.gorrell@nhs.net regarding the above review. This will enable me to check you are a registered patient and the comment has been recorded against the correct Riverside Medical Centre. Following this I will ensure that your comments are passed to the Practice Manager who, should you request a response, respond to you direct. Please include your full name and Date Of Birth in the private email to enable me to identify you. Thank you Riverside Medical Centre
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Review titled Processes lacking in care
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 13 January 2024
in Jan 24 you still can only book an on the day emergency appointment. Booking ahead of time for continuing conditions is not possible even when advised by the GP. Then when calling to book on the day you either wait over one hour to be told there are no appointments left or it cuts off as the call queue is full. when attempting to make an urgent appointment, I have gone in to the practice due to being unable to get though on the phone to be told that all the appointments are gone and that I should try again on the day after the weekend. Left feeling like my ill health is an inconvenience for the surgery. Its not surprising that the hospitals are over run with minor ailments when GP surgeries won't book routine appointments and will only accept on the day appointments. This is causing routine appointment patients to call on the day, taking up all the appointments supposed to be for urgent care. seriously out dated service with poor communication with external NHS services. I have to take pictures of documents at external specialists as I am made to feel like a lier when discussing at my surgery. GP service depends on who you get some GPs here are brilliant but some don't even read your file before the appointment and don't know what medication are currently taking and attempt to prescribe medication you already have or lecture you on the reason you are taking a medication when it has been prescribed for an all together different reason. if you have continuing health needs, avoid this practice at all costs as you will not be supported with any compassion or care.
Visited January 2024
Review titled Riverside Medical Centre
Replied on 15 January 2024
Dear Patient Please can you email me direct at liz.gorrell@nhs.net - this is to ensure you are a registered patient at Riverside Medical Centre, Walton Le Dale Preston. The I can direct your email to the Practice Manager to address all the concerns you have raised. Thank you Riverside Medical Centre
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Review titled Appointment system
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 06 September 2023
Tried 4 times yesterday at Various different times to be told the call queue is full & to call back, tried again today 3 times but had exactly the same problem. Called again at 4:45pm to be 10th in the queue. It is now 6:06pm to be 3rd in the queue. How is anyone meant to book an appointment!!! People have busy lives and work people can’t sit around waiting hours and hours absolutely ridiculous service!!!!
Visited September 2023
Review titled Riverside Medical Centre
Replied on 12 September 2023
Dear Patient I am sorry for your experience with contacting the Surgery. Please can you email me direct at liz.gorrell@nhs.net, first to ensure that you are a registered patient at the Practice - as posted Anonymous, and then for your comments to be passed to the Practice Manager to make contact with you direct to discuss, if you require. Thank you Take Care Liz Riverside Medical Centre
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Review titled Dreadful practice
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 10 October 2023
This practice has steadily gone down hill since covid. Can’t get any appointments without dialling in at 8am for a same day appointment. Can’t get answered, can be number 20 in the queue at 8am! Not all issues need seeing on the day - some people have complex medical problems and need continuity of care. The GP themselves actually say to come back and see them again and you can’t book an appointment! They don’t do blood tests, but expect you to queue up at ridiculous locations with no guarantee of actually having the test done, due to the long queues of patients all going through the same awful drama. Complained to the practice manager in writing and online and still had no response direct! Really appalling service. No explanation given as to why the online appointment system has not been reactivated since Covid! Lots of other practices never stopped this vital service but Riverside 3 years later have not reinstated it! Truly shocking in this digital age. Surely this would free up the 8am scramble for appointments for same day urgent issues and patients that need to be seen every few weeks on request of the GP could book in advance!! I got referred to the fast track cancer pathway in covid, in a tent in the car park by the wonderful ANP, and not in all this time seen a GP in this surgery in the three years since that diagnosis. The quality of care is shocking and the practice manager has a lot to answer for.
Visited September 2023
Review titled Riverside Medical Centre
Replied on 11 October 2023
Dear Anonymous I am sorry for the experience you feel you have had with the practice as detailed above, and the concerns raised - please can you email me direct at liz.gorrell@nhs.net with your name - to firstly ensure you are a registered patient at Riverside Medical Centre, PR5 4AY, and secondly to ensure your complaint is passed to the Practice Manager. I can assure you the Practice Manger at Riverside takes all complaints seriously, and deals with them in a timely manner, should they arise, therefore I am concerned as to where your letter/online complaint has gone. In response to the blood test comment - we have a Phlebotomy Clinic 3 times a week at the surgery - and I am unsure as to why you have not been booked into one of these clinics for your blood tests. Please can you reply to me today if possible. Thank you Riverside Medical Centre
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Review titled Poor Service
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 10 August 2023
It took 1 hour 44 minutes to get through to the surgery to book a GP appointment! Staff in reception aren't experienced enough and never seem happy!
Visited August 2023
Review titled Riverside Medical Centre
Replied on 14 August 2023
Good Morning Please can you email me direct at liz.gorrell@nhs.net. To ensure you are a registered patient at the practice and to enable me to pass your concerns to the Practice Manager who will contact you direct. Thank you Riverside medical Centre