Castle Place Practice

I have been a patient at this practice since 1999.The last couple of years I have been very disappointed with the service at this surgery. I'm type 1 diabetic. I only get seen once a year for my condition and that's not the nurse's fault. They've been overloaded with extra duties. For any concerns, if you call the surgery, you either can't get through; or after getting through all the options, you get told to hang up and try later as all operators are busy; or you get told (sometimes with an attitude), to call first thing in the morning to get a slot with a doctor to phone you back. I don't even know who my designated doctor is anymore. I've tried using the e-consult form at times, to be prompted at the end to immediately contact my gp. It's very frustrating as a patient, when you have exhausted all options, and still can't speak to a gp. Not everyone is able to call the surgery at 0830 and if you tried, you won't get through anyway. I work in a school where phones are not allowed to be used unless it's break or lunch by which time all appointments are already taken. Everything seems to be blamed on Covid at the moment. Everyone is expected to go back to "normal" whatever normal may be. Why is it different at this surgery? What's happened to Castle Place Practice?

Wish you could rate 0/5
Completely helpless reception. After suffering a random seizure and having a possible brain condition diagnosis with instructions to have a check up by the GP I couldn’t get an appointment for over a month so was left worried with no help. Even then they were so rude I just didn’t go. Every time I have an issue they can’t get me an appointment or any answers/help and simply have no compassion

(Written on behalf of someone else)

Very Poor Front of House service, average wait time on hold has been 45 minutes, usually to be connected to someone not at all helpful, my Father has dementia and trying to help him with his ongoing care is a real challenge with this surgery..

Awful whenever you call to make an appointment it takes an age to get through to anyone. If you do manage to get through they can book you an appointment next month. Obviously under staffed. Website appears to be a joke too as it's telling me my address is not what is on their system.

An update after over 2 years - still nothing has changed. 40 minute calls for a receptionist to tell you there are no appointments. Your only chance is to call at 8:30am and try to get through which is like doing the lottery. It feels like this system is only left in place to discourage people from calling, leaving people ill. My daughter broke her arm and had it in a cast for a month. It didn’t heal as the cast wasn’t put on correctly. Now, (after a 40 minute wait) we’re told to go back and wait at A&E (can’t book an appointment). A great shame that this is what our Doctors Surgery has become.

What a joke of a doctors practice, I've been calling them since 8am to be told patient bookings are at 8.30 called back then couldn't get through tried again and again still unable to get an appointment for my father, the place should be closed down as clearly they don't want to work.

Had a stomach issue, see. a nurse, urine sample and was told it was diverticulosis.
If pain continues ask for a blood test.
Two weeks later I asked for a blood test using their website and was told by a doctor there was no need as it wouldn't show anything.
Got an appointment two weeks later to check on stomach pains which had got better, to see a doctor who I had a blood test with.
Only to be called 4 days later by a Dr Helen parrett.
To be told I had anemia and cholesterol was high.
Given tablets for cholesterol and told I needed a cancer appointment at Exeter I believe because I had anemia and stomach issues.
I can't believe I was ignored and two months later got the blood test I asked for.
Now I'm worried waiting for a cancer appointment.😤

Have been unable to get an appointment for a number of months now, the online system is constantly down and I get cut off on the phone, its just impossible.

My husband having visitd AE yesterday in extreme pain and being told that he has calcified tenton and that he needed to book an appointment with castle place surgery to have a steriod injection. We telephoned in the morning and got through having waited about an hour to be told that they didn't have any one who could do it. We asked to book an appointment for the next day when someone who could do it was in was told that they couldn't book an appointment and would have to phone again the next day to make an appointment.I explained that he was in a great deal of pain and tryiing to book an appointment the next day when nobody answers the phone for over an hour and probably then been told they didn' t have any appointments was not satisifactory. She still refused to book the appointment. she then told us to go to AE in Exeter. No wonder the AE departments are over run due to the failing systems in place at this Practice. What sence does it make that you are unable to book an appointment. Castle Place Practice need to seriously look at the service that they are providing or not providing.