Ongar Health Centre

Poor service. As usual, over 20 people in phone queue and called twice to get urgent GP appointment for four year old. I was told four hours later that the clinical pharmacist, or a paramedic, could see my son. Clinical assessment was carried out through receptionist which is not safe. This is not acceptable. If I wanted a pharmacist I would go to a pharmacy, and if I wanted a paramedic I would call 999. I accessed the service for a GP service. Plus, I have had no choice prior to see the pharmacist there and I did not have trust in their clinical experience. My children and I should be able to access the service seamlessly, see a doctor face to face the same day if urgent and requested, and receptionists should not be carrying out clinical assessments nor asking the level of information they are and presuming they are entitled to. The service is not safe in my opinion and it needs to listen to it’s service users more.

Poor service as usual…
Doctors in the Heath centre are lovely but the receptionist all need to do a course on customer service. I’ve never known people to be so rude and blunt to your face, I’ve had my paper ripped up in-front of me by them- they have hung the phone up on me. Never helpful all they want to do is get you off the phone as quick as possible
Can’t believe they think it’s okay to speak to people in need the way they do

I have never had anything but a positive experience with this Practice. Reading the reviews above, people do not understand how to access the service (you need to ring at 8am for a same day doctor telephone triage appointment). Bloods and face to face appointments have always been very efficient. Lovely reception staff and nice physical environment.

This place is an absolute disgrace. The phone lines were engaged from 8.00am (no queue until 8.15). When the call was eventually put in a queue I was no 20. Then answered 20 minutes later. I was told “sorry no appointments, what is the problem?” Firstly why ask what the problem is because when I told the receptionist she still said there’s no appointments. I’m still waiting for a call back from the practice manager from a week ago over a completely different issue.
Over the past months it is getting more and more difficult to get through to this surgery and when you do you feel like an inconvenience to a very dismissive receptionist.
When people say to me call your GP from other organisations I just laugh at them.
I wish there was another surgery in the area, I’d be off like a shot.

Came into the doctors today and met Dr Selva, who was very helpful and explain exactly what my issue was and told me how to deal with it. Very helpful and very kind

I have had to visit the doctors twice in the last few weeks for the first time in many years. I cannot fault the ladies on reception who arranged my same day appointments and the doctors for their care and attention. Thank you!

Absolute shambles! I’ve never had a Dr surgery so poor in my life. Phoned at 3.30pm to be told no appointments and I couldn’t book an appointment for the following day until 8am the next morning. I phone at 8am the next morning to be told the phone is not working and to try again, finally 8.09 I get through to the waiting system to be 29 in line- I have a very heavily pregnant wife and I have Strep A, however speaking to a Dr at the surgery is quite frankly impossible. I have made a formal complaint, and will be going down all avenues to get this looked into, including BBC and Channel 4 investigations. The Dr based here should be ashamed of working here and as for the utterly miserable looking/speaking receptionists, a smile or a hello every now and then wouldn’t go a miss! Miserable bunch of Oga!

Just hope you don't get ill. You'll be on the phone for minimum 40 minutes before speaking to a human. Once you're there, a receptionist will have the worst attitude if you ask any questions. My GP didn't fill out any paperwork so I couldn't get a blood test even though I'd had an appointment booked. A phlebotomist didn't believe that Ongar was my health centre even though I've been attending for the past 23 years. And when I asked how I could resolve the issue of no paperwork being submitted by my GP, I was told to go home and call Ongar Health Centre... whist I was standing inside Ongar Health Centre?!