Lewisham Medical Centre
308 Lee High Road, London, Greater London, SE13 5PJContact details and opening times
Patient ratings and reviews
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Reviews
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Review titled Ridiculous
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 23 March 2023
I called to book an appointment on 23 March and was offered one on 27 April. Yes, over 1 month later. This doesn't work. Sign up if you can actually wait so long for appointment or you can plan and prepare for when you're not feeling well and can book ahead.
Visited March 2023
Review titled Lewisham Medical Centre
Replied on 29 March 2023
Hi Anonymous - please contact me directly so I can review your concerns in context. It may have been that you wished an appointment at a particular time of day. I would need to listen to the call recording in order to comment further. We are urgently working to increase appointment availability; 1. Hiring additional GPs (not as easy as it sounds) 2. Reducing double bookings - making sure patients are only booked in once for the same reason 3. Removing patients who are persistent non-attenders (a huge number of appointments are wasted each month by patients making appointments and thoughtlessly not attending/not cancelling, so the appointment can be given to another patient in need) If a patient misses three appointments without reason, we may remove them from the practice list complaints.lmc@nhs.net Julie Patient Experience Manager
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Review titled Can't get through
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 27 March 2023
Holding on the phone now for 45 minutes and still the music and the "sorry for inconvenience" goes round and round - just to get through to make an appointment that will no doubt be in several weeks time. I don't blame the individuals concerned and I'm sure they are doing their best but how bad does it have to get until you actually do something? You can't call this a 'slight delay' and it's not an 'inconvenience' - it's an absolute shambles.
Visited March 2023
Review titled Lewisham Medical Centre
Replied on 29 March 2023
We are actively reviewing our telephone system, including providing a call-back service so patients keep their place in the queue and our team call them back in turn. Unfortunately it is not possible to control or change the volume of calls we receive, or the time it will take to assist each patient. Sometimes we receive over 300 calls on any given day, so it will take time to help all patients who need us. We are aware of the frustrations here, and are doing all we can to make our telephone system easier for both patients and our team. complaints.lmc@nhs.net Julie Patient Experience Manager
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Review titled Embarrassing
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 05 December 2022
Embarrassing, a disgrace, unacceptable ! Been calling to obtain a quick chat with my doctor as have been in the A&E 3 times in a week with heart palpitations and not only the staff don't have a clue of what to say, although an emergency, they advised that someone will get in touch in 2 weeks. Very casually and without any care given. Why would they care? Its not them that they could potentially have a hearth attack in the middle of the street so why care?! The one time I actually needed something from my GP in the 6 to 8 years I've been with them ... Their attitude?! Someone will call you in 2 weeks. So what if you might die!
Visited December 2022
Review titled Lewisham Medical Centre
Replied on 06 December 2022
Dear Anonymous - it is impossible for me to investigate or appropriately respond to your review without context of the situation or knowing who you are. I am sorry you are so upset with our team, but to suggest that we do not care about our patients is unfair and a false accusation. Please contact me directly so that I can investigate your claims as we do care about our patients and wish to ensure correct care is provided. complaints.lmc@nhs.net Julie Patient Experience Manager
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Review titled Please, please, please sort out your phones
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 24 October 2022
I have been with this practice for over 23 years and generally speaking am happy with it. However, since the pandemic, it has become so difficult to make an appointment that I want to be looking at serious illness before I'm prepared to make that call and wait over 40 minutes to be answered - if at all. It's every time. Every single time. Today is an example. I am now on hold and we're 7 minutes into the call. Earlier this morning, I was over 11 minutes, then the line went dead. I re-dialled, and after 19 minutes on hold the line went dead again. There is no update as to where I am in the queue. The hold music is the worst one (everyone in the uk would know this one). I am told, now and then, that there might be a slight delay in answering the call, and they say the receptionist is triaging because of Coronavirus. This is the same message used at the height of the pandemic. My daughter's cough has been getting worse over the past 6 weeks and I have been putting off calling the GP, and hoping it will improve. I am not proud of this approach and today realised that the stress of calling the GP was stopping me getting her the tests and treatment she needs. I've had enough, and need to put her first. I am confident an appointment will be at least 3 weeks from today. This has been the norm for any appointments with you, unless an emergency. Please sort it out. I am now 12 minutes into the call and still on hold. You might have the best medical experts there, but what use are they if I cannot get through to book an appointment? So far today, I have been on hold for nearly 45 minutes.
Visited October 2022
Review titled Lewisham Medical Centre
Replied on 25 October 2022
Thank you for your review and feedback - As explained by email, I am checking with our telephone system provider as callers should not be disconnected - the system shows a 120 minute maximum holding time, so I will investigate what happened there I am sorry for the delay in reaching our team - we currently receive approximately 400 calls per day and have 5 receptionists on site, answering those calls and helping patients as quickly as possible, with some patients taking longer to help than others We are aware that our current telephone system - no queue number, hold music and pandemic message - isn't the best and we are looking to change this in the near future - please bear with us! We are urgently working to increase appointment availability; 1. Hiring additional GPs (not as easy as it sounds) 2. Reducing double bookings - making sure patients are only booked in once for the same reason 3. Removing patients who are persistent non-attenders (a huge number of appointments are wasted each month by patients making appointments and thoughtlessly not attending/not cancelling, so the appointment can be given to another patient in need) If a patient misses three appointments without reason, we may remove them from the practice list Please contact me directly if you would like to discuss things further complaints.lmc@nhs.net Julie Patient Experience Manager
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Review titled Great experience so far
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 08 October 2022
New customer online registration process was quick and easy, followed up by an invitation for a new patient health check. Reception staff member was very friendly and helpful when booking appointment. Useful reminders were sent prior to the appointment where the clinician was pleasant and professional. Great experience so far.
Visited October 2022
Lewisham Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled A practice that avoids seeing patients if at all possible
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 29 October 2022
It's virtually impossible to make a GP appointment because the phone line is always busy, or you get a message saying the practice is closed (at a time when their advertised opening hours suggest they should be open). Patients used to be able to book appointments online via Patient Access, and the practice website and telephone 'on hold' message clearly states this is still an option, but this service was withdrawn ages ago. The reason it's so difficult to get through on the phone is because the staff responsible for answering have to spend ages asking each caller loads of questions about why they want to see a GP. And if they don't think a particular issue warrants a GP appointment, they spend further time trying to encourage the caller to go and see a pharmacist instead (even though a pharmacist is most likely to recommend that a patient visits their GP). If you're lucky enough to actually get through and be permitted access to a GP, you'll usually only be allowed a telephone appointment - even for something that might necessitate a physical examination. Making patients feel so unwelcome to visit the practice demonstrates a very low commitment to the quality of care that the NHS is supposed to pride itself on.
Visited October 2022
Review titled Lewisham Medical Centre
Replied on 03 November 2022
Hi Anonymous - thank you for your review and feedback, which I am sad to receive Please allow me to clarify some points; 1. Appointments that do not require triage can be booked by Patient Access - ie. cervical smears and child immunisations. As a practice, we are not expected to allow all appointments to be booked on-line. We have never allowed general GP appointments to be booked via Patient Access - this is to avoid vital GP appointments being used inappropriately, something we see on a regular basis. We are sure patients would prefer GP appointments to be available for chronic illness sufferers rather than for signing private medical reports? We want to ensure appointments are given to those who need them most, rather than just those with access to a computer system. 2. Our receptionists ask appropriate booking questions - most patients assume GPs are a one stop shop for all that ails them - not so. GPs are not specialists, and patients are better off speaking to their local pharmacist, going to minor eye emergencies, physio first or their dentist for many health concerns. There are other clinicians who are specially trained to help patients without GP referral - that is why our receptionists ask what they do - to HELP our patients 3. We offer face to face alongside telephone appointments. In fact, we now provide MORE face to face appointments than telephone. Please contact me directly, rather than anonymously, so we can discuss your concerns in more detail I am sorry you feel patients are unwelcome - if you contacted me directly, you would realise that is not the case at all complaints.lmc@nhs.net Julie Patient Experience Manager
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Review titled Top Practice
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Jos Harvey - Posted on 01 September 2022
My experiences with this practice has been very professional. You can actually get through to speak to someone quite quickly! They seem really organised and make it clear how to access services. The process of ordering prescriptions, having screenings, the appointments themselves, have all been smooth to organise. Every clinician I've seen / spoken to has been incredibly friendly. Wish I'd moved here sooner! Thank you!
Visited September 2022
Lewisham Medical Centre has not yet replied.