Penarth Health Partnership

Been with the practice over two years and haven't had much good to say until this week. Called late in the day with an urgent request to speak to a gp and Beverly, a really lovely receptionist reasurred me and managed to get me seen before the practice closed. Thank you Beverly and the lovely nurse for seeing me so late in the day!! 🙏

Very outdated booking system

Call at 8am, be on hold until 9. 30am, for an appointment same day.
Needed to reschedule next appointment, call again, be on hold again...

There must be a better way to do this

I am reviewing on behalf of my 88 year old mum :
I rang penarth healthcare as my elderly mum was experiencing toothache , I spoke to Michelle on the phone she couldn’t have been kinder . The care my mum received from from the lovely dentist she saw today was exceptional . A caring highly personable and professional dental practise . Thank you also to Jess for your kindness .

Phoned at 7.58am, expecting to get lines closed message, but you have to pretty much keep dialling in from then until the lines open at 8.00am to have a chance of an appointment for the day.

Lines were open and joined queue at 8 in the queue.

1 minute later mesaage came on to say surgery was closed, so was kicked off queue.

Joined back in at position 22 in the queue. Was on the phone 7 mins and got to position 18 before the call was disconnected.

Dialled back in at position 66. 🤬 That is ridiculous! I've had to book a half day off work to try make this appointment, which doesn't seem likely now.

Used to be you could at least queue up in the morning and if you were early enough you could be sure you'd at least get seen that day, but they stopped doing that.

They also had an online appointment system which worked for about 2 weeks and now has no available appointments. There has to be a better way to do this.

Waited over an hour to make an appointment. They finally picked up just to say all doctors are fully booked for that day and have to call again next day.
And there is no guarantee someone will be available. What a waste of time.

Started calling at 8. At that point I was 87th in queue. Got through to receptionist at 9.23 and got an appointment via a very helpful receptionist. But surely there's a more humane queuing system? I appreciate the queue provides a gatekeeping role but even so, feels like the last 2 expansions in previous 4 years was a step too far for the surgery.

This surgery has always been incredibly accommodating to me. I see your reviews regarding calling at 8am which I have to say is a bit of a ball ache but if you have a serious issue which requires immediate help on the day and you aren't offered an appointment via the 8am call I find expressing your concerns to the receptionist is always taken on board and looked at by a GP on the day. Dr Froom and Dr Griffin are exceptional doctor's within this surgery and have provided me with fantastic NHS care above and beyond their protocol.

Had the same experience with one of the receptionists very rude and unhelpful the others were great. The doctors there fixate on one diagnosis and don’t investigate other things you have to fight to be heard, even when your proved correct in things you have asked them to test and refuse for months on end! Very uncaring and not interested attitude fob you off with their magic drug anti depressants every chance they get! Absolute waste of a service they need a better appointment service more doctors more receptionists and doctors that actually care.