The Links Medical Practice (Mottingham Surgery)

Why can’t I give it zero stars? I’d actually give it minus 5 stars if I could! Staff are rude and never answer phones so good luck booking an appointment. Doctors don’t seem to take you seriously when you tell them about symptoms. Ask to see practice manager and she’s never there. Want to complain? Write a letter lol website is awful, online appointment forms are a joke! If you have any sort of a learning disability then avoid this practice as they don’t care, if you struggle filling out online forms or writing letters then you’ll never get an appointment. There’s phones I hear you say… yeah but when left on hold for 45 min to then walk to the practice and see one patient in there. You ask why no one is answering the phone “We are busy” I suffered over the last year mentally and physically because of how rubbish the whole set up is here… I’d highly recommend seeking another gp practice

I disagree, yes getting through on the phone is hard. The Receptionist are helpful, it's a hard job. As for the rest, the doctors go the extra mile to help, I have one doctor I see now, but over the years I have been with the links mottingham I have seen many doctors, ALL have been great. The doctor I see now has been amazing over the last 18 months sorting out my illness. Thanks links

Always been super helpful and got my children appointments/ call backs on the same day. I really can’t fault them or the staff. Even when doing an online consultation they have called back that same day. Great surgery !

Awful reception and always has been, they couldn’t find my appointment so denied that i had an appointment.
Also whenever I call I'm always on hold for ages so I stayed on hold as i was 5th in the queue and was still on hold as I got to the surgery where there is one lady at reception talking to her friend on the other side of an empty surgery. No one on the phone so I don't get how there is a queue??!!

THE WOST RECEPTION AND INCOMPETENT MEDICAL STAFF. i have lived in mottingham 3 years and This GP is the worst ever. The doctors are incompetent and never do a proper assessment. They call for 2 seconds and hang up, when you try to call back you have to wait 30 minutes just to talk to the trashiest receptionist. Rude Rude RUDE!! I'd rather go lewisham hospital at this rate.

They are not interested in helping people. When I asked about a blood test - doctor asked me about corona - vaccination status. He was doing his "best" to don't help me...

Had no choice but to leave this surgery because of the treatment I’ve received here. And since I have had no response to my formal complaint, feel forced to finally write my 1-star review.

I’ve had repeat prescriptions lost, appointments moved, cancelled and made without any communication from the GP. Everything needs a phone follow up and when I’ve finally gotten through to staff on phone (which is a whole issue within itself) have been made to feel as if issues are my own fault, even though I’ve followed every system/protocol I have been told to by the surgery. I have heard receptionists talking about me, thinking I'm on hold and the way they have spoken so dismissively about my health is concerning and quite dehumanising.

When I turned up for a recent vaccination appointment (which I booked a month in advance) I was told *at the appointment* that they did not have the vaccine in stock (this is not Argos, this is my health & wellbeing) and was turned away even after taking annual leave from my job to be able to attend the appointment. Was told to come back later in the day for a vaccine, and was rejected once again as there were ‘none in stock’ - no notification via phone, text or email beforehand and a waste of time. Complete lack of respect for patients time and health though we are repeatedly reprimanded for missing appointments. (Which I have never done).

To top it all of when I finally felt I had to submit a complaint because of this treatment, I received no acknowledgement or response from the GP. When I followed up, I was told they would respond ‘in due course’ - this is now over a month ago, and I have now switched GPs.

I understand and feel for the staff shortages and the pressure on NHS to deliver to patients, but the issues I’ve had here are bigger than just that and seem to be stemming from a really bad lack of communication. As someone with chronic health issues who has probably been more of a regular than the average person, it is incredibly exhausting having to chase and chase and being dismissed/ignored by your GP surgery does have a significant effect on your health and wellbeing.

I will give credit as the doctors I have seen in the past, particularly Doctor Chris and Doctor Ben, off of the top of my head, who are a huge credit to the surgery and are incredible healthcare professionals. Both are attentive and really do their best, but are completely overshadowed by the total incompetence of the rest of the place, which I can no longer ignore. So I’ve left and won’t be returning.

Not leaving a bad review to be negative and hateful, but because I hope some accountability for this kind of thing can be taken in a public forum if nowhere else, because change desperately needs to happen here.

I'm currently on the phone for 5 hours trying to get appointment. Reached number 1 twice and just got disconnected. Its disappointing.
I do understand that they might be understaffed but 5 hours seems a bit too long....