East Trees Health Centre
100A Fishponds Road, Eastville, Bristol, BS5 6SAContact details and opening times
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Reviews
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Review titled Awesome admin staff
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 09 May 2023
The telephone admin staff have really improved over the last few months. They are polite, friendly and really try and help. The same is true when you go into the surgery, the reception/admin staff are brilliant - kind, caring, patient and compassionate, when all too frequently they are on the receiving end of the exact opposite. You are all unsung heroes of the NHS, thank you.
Visited March 2023
Review titled East Trees Health Centre
Replied on 10 May 2023
Dear patient Thank you so much for your positive feedback. I have sent the team a copy. We have made real efforts in our 'customer service' approach and hope we treat our patients as we would want to be treated. Once again, many thanks. Val-Practice Manager
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Review titled Very Difficult to Make an Appointment
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 30 March 2023
Currently online appointment booking is suspended at this practice and website advice suggests that appointments also cannot be made in person - though I suspect that this is how some people are now accessing the appointment service. On the previous two occasions that I have called by telephone to make an appointment (in the last 3 months) I have waited 70 mins and then 90 minutes in a call queue. I have rung again today, as I am requested to schedule a 3 month meds review - and I have started in the call queue at number 11. So, based on previous experience, this is likely to at least a 60 minute wait. I am lucky that the type of work I do enables me to sit with my phone on speakerphone waiting, while I continue at my laptop. But for most people it's a huge barrier in the working day and a considerable risk to patient access to healthcare. I'd really encourage an update or review of the appointment booking service and methods for patient access.
Visited March 2023
Review titled East Trees Health Centre
Replied on 30 March 2023
Dear Patient Thank you for your valuable feedback. It prompted me to check our website and you are quite right about booking appointments as this information is out of date! I have asked our website provider to remove the incorrect entries. For information, there are certain clinics that patients can book in to but not routine or urgent appointments as these need to be triaged for prioritising. Patients are welcome to come in to see us to book appointments as we value seeing you. We can book on the day for emergencies, and up to 2 weeks ahead for routine appointments with your GP as we encourage continuity of care. You can also use our e-consult service on our website, for routine issues. Our telephone system has been overhauled but waits are created when staff sickness hits and we have had quite a few difficult months recently. I am hopeful we are back on track so please bear with us. Thank you for contacting me and pointing out these issues. Val-Practice Manager
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Review titled Almost impossible to get an appointment
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 21 March 2023
The medical staff in this practice are excellent but the booking system makes it almost impossible to see them, even when they have requested to see you. The waiting times on the phone are ridiculous and reception staff have put the phone down on me multiple times after long waits on hold. There is no dedicated line for important services like smear tests which is highly likely to put people off booking them with obvious implications for health. Online appointment services exist in theory but in practice, are never available to book. Surgery reception staff have also changed my appointment time but failed to contact me about this causing me to arrive 'late'. Practice manager is also very defensive and not open to patient feedback. I'd change surgery but these issues seem common. GP services need an overhaul where reception staff act less as gatekeepers and more as care facilitators.
Visited March 2023
Review titled East Trees Health Centre
Replied on 22 March 2023
Dear patient, thank you for your feedback. It is important that we receive comments so that we can improve our services. We have recently had high volumes of sickness among staff, resulting in longer waits on the phone. Having checked the reporting system for the last week there have been no incidences of any member of the team hanging up on patients. Smear tests actually can be booked on line via the NHS App if clinics are available and we are looking at offering more online bookings in future. If patients have mobile phones and we change times of appointments we should always send a text message with an apology (I can only assume this was due to a clinician being off sick) and if you did not receive a text then I sincerely apologise. I do hope you were seen on that occasion. As this is the first occasion I have been made aware of such issues and unfortunately you are anonymous, I can't investigate further or respond fully but I can assure you that I take every comment or complaint seriously and am always happy to meet patients to discuss their concerns. Our reception team are care navigators, who are fully trained to non-clinically triage requests in order to signpost patients to the right service at the right time and this is not necessarily a GP. Please be assured we offer routine appointments up to 2 weeks ahead and always deal with urgent problems on the day. Kind regards Val Denton Practice Manager
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Review titled Worst gp experience
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 26 March 2023
Easily one of my worst gp experience. Firstly a gp should at least read a little bit about a patient’s medical history with a condition instead of making the patient explain everything in a short window of time when they are clearly in pain and some experiences can be a bit traumatic to explain over and over again. The gp (paramedic) also suggested I quit my current job which is one of the most shocking things I have heard. To quit my job and do what? Start claiming benefits and burden the system even more? How about address my condition. It was a very uncomfortable experience. For the benefit of doubt I saw the same person a second time, they showed no empathy whatsoever and when I told them I had take 3 tablets of a pain killer I was prescribed but was still in pain, they just gave me additional prescription of the same medicine saying take 3 tablets so I could have done that without seeing someone who is supposed to be a “professional”.
Visited February 2023
Review titled East Trees Health Centre
Replied on 27 March 2023
Dear patient Thank you for taking the time to feedback. It is always important to have as we can often learn from situations. However, the issues you mention cannot be addressed as you have opted to remain anonymous and I can't investigate your statements. Please consider writing to me or let me have your details so that I can look into this further. bnssg.easttreeshealthcentre@nhs.net Thank you Val Denton-Practice manager
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Review titled Unhelpful phone wait
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 20 February 2023
I phoned the centre this afternoon to make an appointment. I was number 12 in the queue, waited for 1hr4mins and then was cut off at 6.30pm (the end of the day? this wasn’t mentioned on the website or phone message). I will have to try again tomorrow to make an appointment, and am fortunate that I have the phone credit and time to do so. I understand that the centre has had staff illness and is running on tight resources, but a system like this is surely a real barrier to patients accessing services. I have otherwise always found the centre to be very good, with excellent staff and services.
Visited February 2023
Review titled East Trees Health Centre
Replied on 21 February 2023
Thank you for your feedback. This is really frustrating for us and patients but we have had a telephone service disruption compounded by a national issue with medical systems. This over a few days has caused serious delays but we are getting back on track. The system went down briefly again this morning and our provider is investigating. Looking at our statistics we currently have 9 patients in the queue and an average wait time of 17 minutes. Please accept our apologies for the delays, but often these are caused by circumstances beyond our control. Kind regards Val- practice manager
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Review titled Repeated disappointments
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 09 March 2023
It is always a last resort to try to see a GP here as the process of making contact and getting an appointment is so difficult. However, suffering a period of protracted and uncharacteristic mental health concerns, I felt it was necessary this time. I tried to use the e-consult system, and was assured that someone would be in touch before 6:30 on Weds 1st March, but no-one contacted me. Having spoken to my employer, it became clear that I really needed to see a GP and so - after waiting approximately 25 minutes on the phone on the morning of Thursday 2nd March - I managed to book an appointment for today, 9th March. I did receive a text apologising that no one had managed to respond to my e-consult form. Today, my appointment has been cancelled due to staff shortages (which must, I understand, be frustrating for the practice too) and re-organised for a day that I cannot make. When I called to try to talk this through with someone and to reschedule, I was number 26 in the queue (the longest queue I have been in with this practice!). I wonder if I have been deprioritised because my problem is to do with anxiety and stress, rather than something more physical or concrete. I feel completely disempowered and unable to get the advice and support I need - something I would not seek lightly. On a separate note, a prescription filed by the surgery has, I have just discovered, been sent to the wrong pharmacy for the second time, which seems to be an avoidable administrative error.
Visited February 2023
Review titled East Trees Health Centre
Replied on 09 March 2023
Thank you for your feedback. I can empathise with your frustration and apologise for the anxiety it has caused. The telephone lines are always really busy in the mornings and do go quiet after 11am but we aim to answer all calls and do offer appointments up to 2 weeks ahead. We certainly do not make judgement on appointment requests and consider mental health is equally important to prioritise. If you could kindly let me have your details i would be happy to look into this further and ensure you get the help you need. Please contact me via e-consult (which was delayed due to severe staff shortages) and I will respond to your concerns Kind regards Val Denton Practice Manager
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Review titled late arrival
Rated 4 stars out of 5
by jo hall white - Posted on 14 February 2023
I arrived less than 11mins to an appt. I tried to phone from 10mins before the appt but only got to 10 in the waiting list. Life does get in the way, in this case I got stuck in traffic and I ve waited for 3 weeks for an appt. The doctor refused to see me. I felt the late arrival policy was incorrectly used and would like this to be looked into please. Sincerely
Visited February 2023
Review titled East Trees Health Centre
Replied on 15 February 2023
Hi Jo Thank you for your feedback. I am sorry you weren't happy yesterday. I appreciate it is frustrating but even had you called, our rule is that we don't see patients who are late more than 10 minutes as our surgeries would always overrun considerably and we have to have rules in place to prevent this. We do our best to fit patients in if they are late for valid reasons, and on this occasion we asked the GP but she couldn't see you. It is up to the clinician to make that decision and we never like turning patients away, particularly as you booked the appointment 2 weeks ago. I note that you have re-booked the appointment so hopefully you will be seen soon. Kind regards Val-Practice Manager
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Review titled Unhelpful
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Lee - Posted on 22 February 2023
Been suffering from a broken ankle for 2 and a half weeks, and have been waiting on the phone on multiple occasions adding up to around 5 hours in total trying to get sick note that my employers need to pay my sick pay. After all that waiting, I've been told to phone back in a week, told I had to see a doctor to get the note, then had my appointment cancelled and told I don't need to see a doctor, promised I'd get a sick note the next day, and still has not been given to me. Something which should be simple and straight forward has lead to even more stress in what you can imagine is already a stressful experience of having broken bones. Really let down by this GP.
Visited February 2023
Review titled East Trees Health Centre
Replied on 23 February 2023
Hi Lee Thank you for your feedback. I am sorry that you have been frustrated. You contacted the surgery on 8th February asking for a sick note and were asked to self certify as per current rules. You called on 14th asking for a sick note from 15th and the earliest we could deal with this was 20th. As there was a weekend in between the wait was 3 working days which is not unusual for non urgent issues. The GP issued it on 20th and it was sent to you via a text link As a final point, the hospital should have originally been responsible for issuing the sick note to save you this inconvenience as it was their responsibility and we then had to wait for the discharge summary which is why I cancelled your appointment to save you from having to come in. I hope this clarifies the points you raise and apologise again for any confusion and inconvenience Kind regards Val-Practice Manager
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Review titled Thank you for the care I received
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 20 January 2023
I'm new to the practice and just want to say thank you for the care I received yesterday. Appointment wise things didn't go as planned on the day due to staff sickness, but the team improvised and I was able to see a doctor who was trained to do what I needed done urgently that day. The GP took time to listen to me and help ease my anxiety around what was happening. I felt heard and well cared for and I'm really grateful for the experience I had, especially in these times that are incredibly tough for staff at the NHS. Thank you to the team at East Trees
Visited January 2023
Review titled East Trees Health Centre
Replied on 20 January 2023
Thank you so much for your kind feedback. it has been a stressful week juggling appointments as we had a few team members suddenly off sick! But we did our best. I am glad we were able to sort your problem out and as a new patient to the practice, Welcome! Val- Practice Manager
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Review titled Prescriptions Email Address
Rated 4 stars out of 5
by Ian Ward - Posted on 09 December 2022
I recently came out of hospital and have been prescribed new medications. How long does it take for the medications to appear on my Repeat prescription account? The message regarding email address for prescriptions needs to be repeated before ending the call
Visited December 2022
Review titled East Trees Health Centre
Replied on 12 December 2022
Good Afternoon Thank you for this enquiry. Once we receive a discharge letter from the hospital, it is coded and then sent to our pharmacy technician or pharmacist to action. The letter came in late on 7th and is with the pharmacist for action. It usually takes less time but we have had a high level of sickness recently and I apologise this has not yet been completed. Kind regards Val Practice manager