Maltings Surgery
8-14 Victoria Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire, AL1 3JBContact details and opening times
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Reviews
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Review titled Dangerously reckless blind-eye turning storing up disaster
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 11 October 2022
The only way to book an appointment here is to call on the dot of 8am, wait on hold for anything up to an hour to speak to a receptionist, who will then triage you. This means you cannot achieve anything else meaningful at an absolutely key time of day for readying children for school or commuting to work. Of course, in dire emergencies you would cancel everything and sit by the phone at 07:59, but this is not the way to funnel those who wish to make non-urgent appointments. There is no online booking available online (though they will tell you there is, it displays a "not now" alert outside of the 8am-10am window). And if in your frustration, you decide to actually waste your life and walk to the doctors to deal in person, the receptionist will send you away and say "Sorry, I don't make the rules" despite having access at her left hand to a computer system which could book you an appointment. NHS oversight please urgently clamp down on this surgery's processes. Either they are intentionally creating a dangerous situation or totally cool about running the practice into the ground until everyone registers elsewhere and it has to close. I do not understand the logic behind the system. I have waited years for it to get called out for this and now I will reluctantly re-register my family to a further afield surgery in order to have access to a less ruthless, upsetting, draconian regime. It needs a wake-up call.
Visited October 2022
Review titled Maltings Surgery
Replied on 27 April 2023
Dear patient, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us in October last year. As your review was submitted anonymously, I'm unable to identify you and personally address your concerns relating to the receptionist and availability of appointments. That said, we know and fully accept how difficult it was for some patients to get timely routine appointments last year. Like all practices across the country, we were facing unprecedented demand for appointments, many needing urgent, same-day care and were trying to manage that the best and fairest way we could at the time with the staff and resources we had. Very challenging and equally frustrating for everyone in our team. We realise that not everyone can call at 8am nor should they have to to get an appointment so started the hard work of upheaving the existing system as quickly as we could and around caring for patients in autumn last year - no easy feat. Thanks to constructive feedback from patients and an incredible effort from the team, we launched a whole new system in January. The online system works well, and many patients have commented how much better it is. No more needing to call at 8am on the dot. If you and your family are still patients at our practice, I do hope you have also felt the difference. Kara - Team Maltings
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Review titled Like storming Fort Knox
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Uli Robertson - Posted on 25 October 2022
I was told last Friday to contact the surgery Monday 8 am to arrange a phone review of new medication later this week. When I rang at 8 am, the recording said the assessment list was full and to ring the next day! I held anyway for 30minutes ,then was told by the same receptionist from Friday that, the phone review could not be booked on the phone!!! I needed to do it online. She sent me a link which I tried to use. It took me another 45 minutes to find some kind of option where I could type in just what I was trying to contact the surgery for. I am relatively ok with online stuff, but may I point out that very many people over a certain age are not. I also am not very well at the moment and all this fuffing around was exhausting! I have been with the Maltings for 20 off years and was very happy with it. These days it is awful on various levels. Especially getting through and getting something sorted. I don't know when I last saw a doctor there.
Visited October 2022
Review titled Maltings Surgery
Replied on 27 April 2023
Dear Uli, Thanks for your feedback in October, it definitely sounded like one frustrating thing after the other which nobody wants when they're ill and we're sorry to hear the service was inconsistent for you. Since January, we've had an entirely new system that's working much better for everyone. Much slicker and much more responsive. We've been able to grow the team too so there's more healthcare professionals and a mix of skills that we can provide to patients - all in all a better service and not a moment too soon. We hope you've seen the difference. Kara - Team Maltings
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Review titled Struggle to get any focused attention and care
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 21 September 2022
I have been with the surgery for 6+ years and steadily the service has gotten worse. There is no empathy in the first to the post triage system which opens first thing in the morning, after suffering migraines for years I had an escalation, effecting my work, I called first thing when they opened, held for 30mins to be told no more appointments and maybe try booking online (system did not work), I called back next day and held and was told I was not an emergency - explained it is effecting my job now, was told to get medications over the counter in a very dismissive and ignorant tone-she did not check my records even though I explained and its clear that I am already on reactive prescription drugs. I have to continue to suffer and struggle through work for another week (I do not call the doctor lightly) and all I wanted was to be referred to private. There should be an online way you can request and receive (in a timely way) referals onto private as GPs are a bottleneck. I am now considering moving to another doctors surgery.
Visited September 2022
Review titled Maltings Surgery
Replied on 27 April 2023
Dear patient, Thankyou for leaving this anonymous feedback in September 2022 and I'm really sorry to hear you had a frustrating experience getting an appointment especially while juggling a migraine and work. Never a good combination. Had we seen your review and your name back in September, we could have looked into your concerns and listened back to the call you had with the receptionist as that's certainly different from what we'd expect to hear about our team. Despite getting hundreds of things right every day, we always appreciate the opportunity to learn more about what we don't and resolve any issues our patients may encounter. Appointments at the practice are now handled using our new online system and we're pleased to see it's proving much better for patients, often with a same-day response. I do hope you've noticed a difference if you've needed us and please don't hesitate to contact us directly if you have any concerns or issues in future. We'll be happy to help. Kara - Team Maltings
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Review titled Great response to an acute problem
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 05 October 2022
Once I had been triaged, I was given several options for an appointment (at different Practices) and was seen the same day. My appt was on time and the Dr was excellent and professional throughout.
Visited September 2022
Review titled Maltings Surgery
Replied on 27 April 2023
Dear patient, Glad to hear we were able to see you nice and quickly, at a place of your choosing, last October for this appointment. Thanks for sharing your experience. Kara - Team Maltings
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Review titled Room to improve efficiency
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 09 September 2022
Had my appointment with a nurse cancelled twice on the date - both due to good reason that they could cancel way ahead to free up my slot for the others. Knowing the NHS long wait, I hope they can take feedback on board to preview booking and cancel / reschedule asap to free up slots for others in need.
Visited September 2022
Review titled Maltings Surgery
Replied on 27 April 2023
Dear patient, Thanks for leaving this feedback in September 2022. It would have been great to know who you are so we could look into what happened as you're absolutely right, knowing about cancellations so we can give them to others in good time is essential. I do hope you managed to get rescheduled. Kara - Team Maltings
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Review titled Review completed efficiently
Rated 4 stars out of 5
by Carol Giles - Posted on 13 September 2022
The admin team called me for a review, the doctor called me at the specified time and efficiently dealt with my issues on the phone. Excellent service all round.
Visited September 2022
Review titled Maltings Surgery
Replied on 27 April 2023
Dear Carol, Thank you for leaving your feedback about your review. We're glad we could meet your needs. Kara - Team Maltings
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Review titled Appalling service
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 14 September 2022
Tried to call reception to book an appointment. Waited two hours on hold just to be able to speak to a receptionist. No business would ever survive by offering such poor service. There is simply no excuse for such a shoddy attitude to patients. This is not the fault of the reception staff - it is the responsibility of management to put the necessary staff and systems in place to provide an acceptable service. Please get your act together.
Visited September 2022
Review titled Maltings Surgery
Replied on 27 April 2023
Dear patient, I appreciate you left this anonymous feedback in September last year but I wanted to respond all the same. You'll be pleased to hear the practice team has listened to our patients' constructive criticism and introduced a new system for requesting appointments that appears to be going down well with patients and staff alike. I do hope you've noticed a difference if you've needed us. Kara - Team Maltings.
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Review titled Unbelievable
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 29 August 2022
I no longer phone the surgery for appointments as there are never any available. I visited in person to book an appointment (it was completely empty mid afternoon) to be told I had to book on line or by phone. Eventually I got a telephone appointment; the doctor was helpful and prescribed meds, but didn't phone me back a week later as promised. Worrying as I had a major heart attack a couple of months ago. I wonder how many patients have just given up trying to book appointments here and have become very unwell or died as a result. I know the NHS is stretched, but The Maltings have had major issues with booking appointments for a long time, but are still advertising for more patients. Something really has to be done to improve the situation.
Visited August 2022
Review titled Maltings Surgery
Replied on 27 April 2023
Dear patient, Thank you for anonymously sharing your feedback about the practice in August last year and I'm sorry for your frustration in getting through to us. I appreciate it's some time ago now but I do hope you're well and have contacted us whenever you've needed us. Nobody should ever feel like they can't get in touch with their practice. Much has changed in the past few months you'll be pleased to hear and we have a brand new appointments system that's working well for patients. If you ever encounter any more issues with the practice, please don't hesitate to give us a call and ask for Liz in our practice management team so she can address your concerns directly. Kara - Team Maltings
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Review titled Impossible to get appointment
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 05 September 2022
I have been attempting to get an appointment for about a month. Tried to call but always engaged, visited twice to ask for an appointment at reception to be told they are all online I signed up online but Patient Access has a list of paid services and no appointments to book. Nor does the NHS app. Referenced this & told to call at 8am to 10am. Got through 8.45 to message that all appointment gone. A Dr only works if you can see them and they seem to be making it impossible.
Visited August 2022
Review titled Maltings Surgery
Replied on 27 April 2023
Dear patient, Thanks for leaving your feedback in September last year. I'm sorry to hear we couldn't meet your needs at the time but I'm pleased to share we've been operating a brand new system since January 2023 that patients are telling us is much easier. No more needing to call first thing and sit in a queue; the online form available through our practice website when we're open allows you to request appointments and get a quick response, often same day. I do hope you're finding the new service much better. Kara - Team Maltings.