Sydenham House Medical Centre
Sydenham House Med Centre, Mill Court, Ashford, Kent, TN24 8DNContact details and opening times
Patient ratings and reviews
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Reviews
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Review titled Absolutely appalling service
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 17 November 2023
I have been trying to book a telephone consultation with a gp for a week but it is impossible. It isn't even an actual in person appointment but just a telephone consultation and it took me a week. You ring the practice, you are on hold for more than an hour, you finally get through reception and they tell you to call back the next day. E-consult is up for like 2 seconds and the link is gone. This is a never ending loop. This morning I set up an alarm at 7:55 just to get on econsult, I was trying to select the right problem for me but the link stopped working at 8:02. What is this???? They can't be fully booked in 2 minutes?? This has been going on for too long. I tried to raise a complaint with the practice but even the complaint form is removed from their website. With this service it is not even surprising that people have too many complaints that they had to take the form down. Now I will be making a formal complaints to Cqc and Nhs Kent and Medway Icb because this is ridiculous.
Visited November 2023
Review titled Sydenham House Medical Centre
Replied on 27 November 2023
Dear Anonymous I am so sorry to hear that you are not happy with the service that we provide. We have to monitor eConsult due to the sheer demand, which is why perhaps you have had difficulty in being able to use it. If you wish to make a complaint, I would be more than happy to help you, but unfortunately you have sent this message as anonymous, so I cannot contact you. If you wish to discuss any of the above, please contact the surgery and ask for me. Once again, I am sorry that you are so unhappy about the service you have encountered. Best wishes Alison Stacey, Service Delivery Manager for and on behalf of Sydenham House Medical Group
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Review titled Poor communication service
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 21 November 2023
For the last 4 working days I’ve tried econsult at 8 am it appears not to be working!! Poor show . There needs to be a better service
Visited November 2023
Review titled Sydenham House Medical Centre
Replied on 27 November 2023
Dear Anonymous I am sorry to hear that you are not happy with eConsult. The system does work, but like everything, we have a capacity issue and therefore have to control the amount of eConsults that come in daily. As you are anonymous, I am unable to contact you, but if you would like to contact the surgery and ask for me, I would be more than happy to try and help you. Once again, I apologise for the difficulties you have been experiencing. Warmest wishes Alison Stacey, Service Delivery Manager for and on behalf of Sydenham House
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Review titled What I say
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Ranamagar - Posted on 18 February 2024
Can I change my GP? am done with this GP try to make an appointment by phone ether by e consult I couldn’t get it so wanted to change give me anyone any ideas plzzz I am done .
Visited September 2023
Review titled Sydenham House Medical Centre
Replied on 20 February 2024
Good Afternoon, Thank you for your comments you have left. I am sorry that you have had difficulty getting through for an appointment and for your frustration/experience in trying to get a GP appointment. Unfortunately call demands are very high and our reception team work hard to answer them in a timely fashion. Please contact the Practice Manager or myself to discuss your concerns further, we are unable to contact you as you have not left your full name. Kind Regards Chelsea Hodges - Clinical Governance Manager for Sydenham House Medical Group.
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Review titled Poor telephone reception
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Martin Ward - Posted on 18 May 2023
I telephoned the surgery for an appointment, after 45 minutes on hold told theirs no appointments, you have to ring at 8 in the morning, she didn't even ask my name or what the problem was. I hardly ever ring the surgery, and i shan't be ring again. I'll just put up with whatever it is until im hospitalised.
Visited May 2023
Review titled Sydenham House Medical Centre
Replied on 08 June 2023
Dr Mr Ward, Thank you for your comment. I apologise in the delay of my response. I am sorry for your frustration/experience in trying to get a GP appointment. Our appointments are not pre-filled and are all bookable on the day. I hope you have managed to get through to get an appointment. You can email on sydenhamhouse@nhs.net for my attention if you wish to discuss. Kind Regards Chelsea Hodges
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Review titled Very Unreliable
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 17 May 2023
I wanted to call the this Gp because last week I filled up a form to register my new born baby so I can get the vaccine schedule,coz unfortunately Im also registered on this GP, so was thinking much easier to register my child here. I handed it to the reception and 3 ladies was there on that time. Today I got a message from Nhs that my child has not been registered in GP , I was sure that the lady there told me that she will register my child and that was almost a week ago,so I decided to call today and when I was calling, I call exactly at 8am and was put in waiting list number 52 and in the middle of the call after waiting almost 2 hours the line was cut off. Have to call again waiting for another hour then when I was on the number 9 then the line was cut off again. I was really fuming but still patiently have to do it again, and finally got to talk with someone. When I asked why my child has not been registered yet, it took her a while to find the record and well she said ,i found your child name but we will just about to register him today. Today??? I said I gave the form more than a week ago,her reason according to her the GP is short of staff lol....but obviously they forgot to input it. And theres some giggle in the background which I found so unprofessional and very unreliable. Worst worst worst GP ever. Im really looking forward to change GP even its far but reliable one.
Visited May 2023
Review titled Sydenham House Medical Centre
Replied on 19 May 2023
Dear Patient, Thankyou for your comments, I am so sorry that you have had trouble getting through to the surgery on the phone. Unfortunately we take a lot of calls that could be dealt with via an alternative way, like using E-consult or phoning their pharmacy. Whilst I appreciate that you are very frustrated, I hope that you can understand that we are doing our very best. Please could you either contact the Practice Manager or leave your name and she will be able to discuss your complaint further and ensure that all registration is completed as you have left no name for us to contact you. Kind Regards Chelsea Hodges
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Review titled Terrible Gp
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 17 May 2023
You will never get an appointment. Hopeless long telephone queue.Calling from 8am almost 50 in the line,waiting for 2 hours then line is cut off . Have to call again no longer acxept appointment after 10 . Big joke
Visited May 2023
Review titled Sydenham House Medical Centre
Replied on 19 May 2023
Dear Patients, Thank you for your comments. I am sorry you have been finding it difficult to get through to the surgery. Unfortunately call demands are very high and our reception team work hard to answer them in a timely fashion. Please contact the Practice Manager to discuss your concerns further, we are unable to contact you as you have left no name. Kind Regards Chelsea Hodges
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Review titled Almost impossible to speak to a GP
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Joshua Knight - Posted on 17 May 2023
I recently went to A&E for an issue and was told to contact my GP for any pain relief prescriptions I may need. I was told they would be able to easily sort this out over the phone as I am unable to walk at the moment. I spent almost 2 hours on the phone yesterday to only be told to call back the next day or call 111. I spoke with 111 who then told me to call my GP back in the morning. At 8am the next morning I attempted to connect with the econsult system which was not working at all. I cannot access the system any earlier so there is no chance that it was fully booked at 08:00am. At the same time as attempting to use the econsult I began calling the surgery in an attempt to speak to someone. I finally got through at 10am and was once again told to call back the next day. 4 hours of my time wasted over less than 24 hours, with no solution.
Visited May 2023
Review titled Sydenham House Medical Centre
Replied on 19 May 2023
Dear Mr Knight, Thank you for your comments. I am sorry for your experience. E-Consult service for the practice is open Monday-Friday from 8am, but once the limit of appointments are used, unfortunately E-Consult then closes until the next morning. This will then direct you to NHS 111 for further advice. I can assure you that we always want to help all our patients, but demand is very high, and far exceeds the resources that are available to us. If your able to contact the Practice Manager she will be able to discuss your complaints with you. Kind Regards Chelsea Hodges
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Review titled Shambles
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 31 May 2023
Impossible to break through the wall of receptionists. You have to join the queue on the phone at 8.00. Then, if you're lucky enough to get through in the first batch of callers you can book a telephone appointment with the doctor. Not a real appt. Just a phone call. You can easily spend upwards of an hour in the queue, only to end up getting through and told you're too late and you have to go through the same thing tomorrow. If you work, how on earth are you supposed to sit for ages on your phone just in the hope of possibly getting a call from the doctor later on? And if you don't, you have to hope your employer doesn't mind you spending ages on the phone the next day. Even if you don't need an appointment, and you just need to quickly check something with the Dr, you still have to go through the same nonsense.
Visited May 2023
Review titled Sydenham House Medical Centre
Replied on 08 June 2023
Dear Anonymous I am so sorry that you are finding it such a struggle to speak to a GP. Unfortunately, you have left no name or anyway that I can contact you. Perhaps you could leave another message with your details (NHS number) and then I can try and help you. I hope you will respond, so that I can help you. Warmest wishes Chelsea Hodges
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Review titled Poor service
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by jeff boyce - Posted on 08 March 2023
Having read all the recent reviews submitted I hope the practise management will except this review as constructive comments. The practise seem very reluctant to acknowledge that patients are not just complaining for the for the sake of it, they are genuinely worried and frustrated at how poor the service provided by Sydenham house has become. I am also someone who has experienced the same problems. May be the practice could find a way to explain to the patient list how they plan to tackle these very serious problems the service is currently experiencing rather than keep repeating the same response. Expanding the practise size dose not seem to most patients a way of improving an already poor service.
Visited March 2023
Review titled Sydenham House Medical Centre
Replied on 09 March 2023
Good Morning Mr Boyce, Thank you for your comments left, I understand your concerns. We have taken on board all comments left by yourself and other patient's and will be bringing this to the attention of the clinical leads to be discussed. If you wish to discuss this further I am happy to arrange a meeting with myself and the practice manager. Kind Regards Chelsea Hodges Clinical Governance Manager
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Review titled Horrendous- impossible to get an appointment or any help
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 07 March 2023
I am so disappointed in this surgery. I have been trying for over a week to get an appointment. I call at 8am every morning whilst also using econsult. I log onto Econsult at exactly 8am and it is never open. Both my daughter and I have been very unwell and due to lack of appointments she ended up in urgent care very poorly. When I have got through before the receptionist was very condescending to me. I am a teacher and can only call in my breaks, and even then I am in waiting list of over 15 people. I appreciate the surgery is busy, but it is impossible to get through. The surgery say that Econsult is open at 8am and that is a blatant lie. Multiple friends and family also try and log on and they cannot. I struggle to believe all appointments are gone by 8am on the dot! If I am lucky enough to get through (which I believe has happened once) I am given an appointment for 4 weeks time, this is not good enough, especially when I am immune suppressed and needing antibiotics. When I see a doctor they are incredibly polite and knowledgeable, its just impossible to get there. I have no choice to be with this surgery, as it the only one in my catchment but I am looking into other options. I am so disappointed
Visited March 2023
Review titled Sydenham House Medical Centre
Replied on 08 March 2023
Thank you for your feedback. I am sorry for your experience in trying to get through via E-Consult. E-Consult service for the practice is open Monday-Friday from 8am, but once the limit of appointments are used, unfortunately E-Consult then closes until the next morning. This will then direct you to NHS 111 for further advice. Over the weekend the service is close so this will automatically direct you to NHS 111. I can assure you that we always want to help all our patients, but demand is very high, and far exceeds the resources that are available to us. This is why we have to switch off eConsult when we reach capacity. I am so sorry that you are finding it such a struggle to speak to a GP. Unfortunately, you have left no name or anyway that I can contact you. If your able to contact myself or the practice manager I can discuss with you. kind regards Chelsea Hodges