Priory Gardens Surgery

I'm not normally one to write reviews but I have never received such appalling service anywhere else before. The list of problems which I have had here is endless.

They are absolutely horrendous at answering their phone lines, I spent almost 20 minutes waiting as 'Number 1' in the queue but I ended up giving up as no one had answered by then. I really don't understand how it has taken 20 minutes and not one person had picked up the phone. I've been attempting to book in for a consult for ongoing problems and to order medication but have been told that I will have to wait almost a month which is ridiculous.

Another time, I had booked a late evening appointment and the doctor told me that he wanted to see me quickly as I was his last appointment so he could go home (Which don't get me wrong, I understand that everyone would like to go home but I didn't even spend two minutes in the room).

On another occasion, I had a 9am appointment and was told by reception that it wouldn't be too much longer... By approximately 9.30am a doctor walked through the front door to the surgery and then a few minutes later called me through (This was the doctor which was supposed to see me at 9am). If someone had just told me that there had been an error, or the doctor was delayed then I would have understood.

Don't get me wrong some of the nurses and the doctors which I have seen are lovely but seriously I would avoid.

Very poor surgery which you be lucky to get a appointment in the near future, not get cancellations when you do get a appointment and it be a fine thing to actually get results back from tests!

The receptionists are racists and bullies. They need customer service skills training. Time and time again this behaviour is observed and nothing changes so it can’t be a bad day out of bed.

No tolerance of abuse should work both ways, maybe the surgery has missed the importance of respect.
Patients are not your punch bag receptionists. You are a person like everyone, you hold no power or higher status then others . I hope you don’t get treated like the way many have been treated by you. Stop shouting, the whole waiting area don’t want to hear other patients issues, many have quality hearing. I really hope patients even those observing build courage to challenge the appalling behaviour that is displayed daily. I am sorry to also the affluent and vulnerable who we haven’t spoken up for.

This Surgery keep you waiting over an hours plus when doctors decide to stroll in Late.

Shame as there are some good doctors here, they are short for time.

Awful! I have been with this surgery for years, all good until I actually need them, in over a year now, I did not manage to have an appointment to bee seen by a doctor and my health problem is still there. The only think I managed in this whole year I have my health issues is to be sent for an x ray, even today I don’t know the results or at least to be contacted by post for further investigation! I contacted the surgery twice, got an appointment and it’s been cancelled 3 days before my actual appointment, second phone consultation is the worst, they call you with no number ID and if in 3 rings don’t pick up they hang up and that’s it! I was driving that time all I got was a voice message to rebook another appointment!!! I feel like crying every time I have to call this place, you wait hours to be answered if you can get in line to actually wait to be answered ! Horrible

Horrible GP. It took me 4 days to get through the phone queues (9am and 12pm) to get an appointment for my 3 years old son. On Friday I managed to get through, just for a rude receptionist to tell me that as my son had a cough and temperature, If he did not have a negative covid test done, he won’t be able to physically see a GP.
A Covid test needs to be requested online, and therefore I wouldn’t be able
To get my son an appointment until at least the following week( that if lucky enough to get through the phone after receiving the test).
After explaining that my son had a very bad cough and needed to have his chest checked up, the receptionist refused to give me an appointment and asked me on a very rude way if I wanted the telephone consultation or not.
They don’t provide slots for the phone consultations, so if you are in a meeting or work call and miss your call,GP or nurse won’t call back.
I have put several complaints and I still haven’t received a reply.
Moving out of this GP asap as since I joined 5 years ago it is always been bad.

terrible clinic! I start calling at 8am I was 40th in line - at 11:45am they finally pick up the phone and they say they don't have appointments I have to call back at 1pm. I start calling straight away. I was 38 in line again, at 1:15 they pick up the phone to tell me they'll send me forms to fill up 🫣 The questions are not detailed at all. it was about 2 small children with fever from 5 days to 40 degrees plus me in a similar situation plus a terrible cough. The doctor who called back was very rude. he said that everything is OK with one of my children (3 years and from 4 days fever 40 degrees) and when I pointed it out to him he said that he can give me one visit for one child because he doesn't have time and when I asked about myself - he repeated that he didn't have time for tok about me. He assumed in advance that it was a virus but he will not prescribe an antibiotic because there are no antibiotics in pharmacies. I asked for a paper prescription then I can go to the next town. I heard with a raised voice that there are no antibiotics in the pharmacy. butcher not doctor!

We moved in Dunstable and if you have kids avoid this surgery. We have our little girl with cough, temperature and strong flu. We have been advised to give paracetamol by phone call (not seen in person). Of course didn’t work. After 4 weeks she developed a very bad cough and kept accumulating green mucus. Every day we call always the same answer: call 1pm or call 8am when we open appointments. No sense of urgency at all. Shocking. Shame I could not score 0 stars. We def looking to move surgery asap.

The Doctors are good if you can get to one!
If you can wait for hours on the call waiting system and manage to get through you may have a hard job getting past the highly trained medical receptionists who will either tell you there are no more appointments or that your medical condition is not an emergency, just to clarify GP is for non emergency,
999 is for emergency! Moving to another GP. Avoid if you can.

I don't take advantage of the NHS and touch wood hardly use it but the few times I have this year has been an absolute joke. No appointments for weeks, told to ring 8 or 1 but 40 in the que, go down there in person and still can't be offered an appointment. It takes a call to 111 to get me an appointment that you said you couldn't offer. Prior to this in September where I had to visit multiple times a week the service and communication was appalling. The system is designed for people who don't work and have hours on end to chase appointments. Only emergency appointments for same day, I would love to know what emergency are as I can never get one. I hope I don't become seriously ill as it is scary to think what would happen. No trust in this system.

Update: changed GP problems after problems. Receptionists are the most rude, uncaring, unprofessionals i have ever come across. Can't comment on doctors as I've never ever been given an appointment to see one always get passed to a nurse!!!!