Merchiston Surgery
Highworth Road, Stratton St Margaret, Swindon, Wiltshire, SN3 4BFContact details and opening times
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Reviews
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Review titled Awful health care centre. Avoid.
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 28 July 2023
My experience at this facility was deeply unsatisfactory. The doctor I consulted with displayed a dismissive attitude, hastily providing me with website links related to various conditions, leaving me unsure about my own diagnosis. To make matters worse, after leaving the surgery, I unexpectedly received a prescription for medication that the doctor had not discussed with me beforehand. This left me feeling apprehensive and compelled to conduct online research to understand the purpose of the prescribed medication—a concerning and potentially hazardous approach to medical care. Overall, I am left feeling highly dissatisfied and apprehensive about my health concerns, with virtually no hope of having a meaningful discussion with a doctor regarding my multiple conditions. I strongly advise anyone considering this facility to avoid it at all costs due to the myriad issues and lack of proper medical attention I experienced.
Visited July 2023
Review titled Merchiston Surgery
Replied on 22 September 2023
Dear Patient, We acknowledge that often during a consultation a great deal of information is gathered and shared. This can be quite overwhelming and difficult to retain particularly if you are feeling unwell. It is the responsibility of the clinician to ensure that the patient understands the potential diagnoses and are clear about the next steps in their care. We are sorry that on this occasion you left the consultation feeling that this was not the case. With high demands for appointments and limited time it is standard practice for clinicians to provide supplementary information in the form of leaflets or links to websites following a consultation. This supports patients with understanding the discussions and allows people to review information at their own pace. Further information is often shared by a text message or an email address depending on the settings you have agreed on your patient notes. It is possible to remove your agreement to receive emails and or text messages from the surgery, if this is something you wish to do, please contact the surgery. Thank you for raising your concerns with us, we welcome our patients’ and carers’ feedback as this is key to improving the service at Merchiston Surgery. I hope that this response offers you reassurance that we aim to provide patients and carers with excellent care, outstanding service and we value all feedback. Should you wish to discuss this matter further please do not hesitate to contact me via telephone number 01793 823307 or J83001.merchiston@nhs.net Yours faithfully Laura Beach Practice manager
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Review titled Absolutely appalling
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 08 June 2023
Patients cant get appointments and spend hours on the phone in a que they are told they are unable to join ! Receptionists tell patients to ring the hospital to get pending blood results to be told by the hospital it's the surgerys job to chase results not the patients. On explaining this to the receptionist at the surgery I were told I would have to ring back to make an appointment with a doctor. If doctors are having to deal with chasing blood results which should be the receptionists job it is of no wonder patients cant get appointments. What was once a good surgery has rapidly gone down hill.
Visited June 2023
Review titled Merchiston Surgery
Replied on 22 September 2023
Dear Patient, We are sorry that you have had difficulties contacting the surgery to arrange an appointment. We are aware that patients continue to experience difficulties and acknowledge how stressful this can be particularly when patients are already feeling under the weather. Over the last 12 months we have worked hard to ensure both the administrative and clinical team are fully recruited to. We have invested in and altered our telephone systems to decrease the time spent on the telephone by individuals. We have introduced pre-bookable appointments and made them available online to reduce the number calls received. Unfortunately, nationally and locally surgeries continue to experience a high demand on limited services in Primary Care. Thank you for raising your concerns with us, we welcome our patients’ and carers’ feedback as this is key to improving the service at Merchiston Surgery. I hope that this letter offers you reassurance that we aim to provide patients and carers with excellent care, outstanding service and we value all feedback. Should you wish to discuss this matter further please do not hesitate to contact me via telephone number 01793 823307 or J83001.merchiston@nhs.net Yours faithfully Laura Beach Practice manager
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Review titled Outstanding practice
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 30 May 2024
I have been with Merchiston surgery for all of my 65 years and from my own experience, I have found it to be an excellent practice. I feel particularly compelled to say this from being diagnosed last year with a potentially serious condition. From the GPs and nurses to the staff on the phone and in reception, everyone has been so very thorough and caring. I have a friend at another surgery in Swindon and his experiences has made me realise just how fortunate I am to be with Merchiston.
Visited May 2023
Merchiston Surgery has not yet replied.
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Review titled Apalling to the point of useless!
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 11 April 2023
Pointless, not fit for purpose system. I can only reiterate what others are saying. Rather than have such a long winded automated message after 13 attempts of getting through, and then the long wait,(40mins) why can't they just say at the beginning of the call, that there are no further appointments? For all the nhs messages in the media to get things checked if you have certain symptoms - sure, If only! I shall just hope for the best. Please stop this madness!!
Visited April 2023
Review titled Merchiston Surgery
Replied on 22 September 2023
Dear Patient, We are sorry that you have had difficulties contacting the surgery to arrange an appointment. We are aware that patients continue to experience difficulties and acknowledge how stressful this can be particularly when patients are already feeling under the weather. Over the last 12 months we have worked hard to ensure both the administrative and clinical team are fully recruited to. We have invested in and altered our telephone systems to decrease the time spent on the telephone by individuals. We have introduced pre-bookable appointments and made them available online to reduce the number calls received. Unfortunately, nationally and locally surgeries continue to experience a high demand on limited services in Primary Care. Thank you for raising your concerns with us, we welcome our patients’ and carers’ feedback as this is key to improving the service at Merchiston Surgery. I hope that this letter offers you reassurance that we aim to provide patients and carers with excellent care, outstanding service and we value all feedback. Should you wish to discuss this matter further please do not hesitate to contact me via telephone number 01793 823307 or J83001.merchiston@nhs.net Yours faithfully Laura Beach Practice manager
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Review titled Poor response from an oversubscribed surgery
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 05 April 2023
Today feeling very poorly after severe chest infection of over two months has left me extremely weak and vulnerable, I am 77. Rang at 8.00 told no appointments or GP call backs. I explained how ill I felt so was told to ring 111. This I did 111 took all details and was told to call surgery back where I should be seen today. Took ages to get through again to Merchiston where the same unhelpful girl said the same applied and to try at 12 noon. Did this and was told on the dot of 12 noon by a recording that all lines taken and to try later. Did this and was then on hold for 45 mins with that mindless music and recordings which if anyone was feeling as ill and stressed as I was it would almost tip them over the edge. The recording gets stuck every now and then so you can be 4 in the queue for an endless time. Eventually got there to explain I had been told I should see someone today and was told sorry that covers 24 hours and there was no appointments or even a triage call. Told to ring again in the morning and go through this waste of time and energy all over again. This surgery is now offering a next to nothing service. Have been with them for over forty years and I have had enough. It isn’t a doctors surgery anymore it is just a pathetic excuse for one. I have no idea who manages it but they are not doing a very good job. It is quite unacceptable. I’m sure there are a very lucky minimal few that get to see a GP but for the vast majority you would have more chance of an audience with the Pope. I am about to look into how I can change surgeries, there has to be better than this awful setup which makes ill people feel they are a nuisance and asking for something quite preposterous to expect to see a GP!
Visited April 2023
Review titled Merchiston Surgery
Replied on 22 September 2023
Dear Patient, We are sorry that you have had difficulties contacting the surgery to arrange an appointment. We are aware that patients continue to experience difficulties and acknowledge how stressful this can be particularly when patients are already feeling under the weather. Over the last 12 months we have worked hard to ensure both the administrative and clinical team are fully recruited to. We have invested in and altered our telephone systems to decrease the time spent on the telephone by individuals. We have introduced pre-bookable appointments and made them available online to reduce the number calls received. Unfortunately, nationally and locally surgeries continue to experience a high demand on limited services in Primary Care. Thank you for raising your concerns with us, we welcome our patients’ and carers’ feedback as this is key to improving the service at Merchiston Surgery. I hope that this letter offers you reassurance that we aim to provide patients and carers with excellent care, outstanding service and we value all feedback. Should you wish to discuss this matter further please do not hesitate to contact me via telephone number 01793 823307 or J83001.merchiston@nhs.net Yours faithfully Laura Beach Practice manager
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Review titled Dangerously incompetent management
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 29 March 2023
How the QCC allow this place to operate in it’s current state I will never know. I’m autistic and have bi polar disorder. My medication means I have to have regular blood tests to make sure its not harming me more than is necessary. Merchiston are now withholding my Medication because I can’t get through on the phonelines to make an appointment for a blood test. I am writing this whilst on hold from merchiston. I have moved 10 places in the queue in half an hour of waiting at my expense. Sometimes the system will simply play a message saying try again later after waiting to speak to someone for 30mins and then promptly hang up on you. The stress this impossible situation puts on the most vulnerable in society is unacceptable and dangerous. As a former registered manager in the private sector I can tell you the difference in standards is troublingly stark! A practice that doesn’t damage people more so than when they came in doesn’t seem a lot to ask for, unless of course you live in east Swindon. To end more positively, some of the staff, are very good but shocking incompetence at management level means you’ll be lucky to notice.
Visited March 2023
Review titled Merchiston Surgery
Replied on 22 September 2023
Dear Patient, We are sorry that you have had difficulties contacting the surgery to arrange an appointment. We are aware that patients continue to experience difficulties and acknowledge how stressful this can be particularly when patients are already feeling under the weather. Over the last 12 months we have worked hard to ensure both the administrative and clinical team are fully recruited to. We have invested in and altered our telephone systems to decrease the time spent on the telephone by individuals. We have introduced pre-bookable appointments and made them available online to reduce the number calls received. Unfortunately, nationally and locally surgeries continue to experience a high demand on limited services in Primary Care. We are pleased to hear that you have had some very positive experiences with some of our staff. Thank you for raising your concerns with us, we welcome our patients’ and carers’ feedback as this is key to improving the service at Merchiston Surgery. I hope that this letter offers you reassurance that we aim to provide patients and carers with excellent care, outstanding service and we value all feedback. Should you wish to discuss this matter further please do not hesitate to contact me via telephone number 01793 823307 or J83001.merchiston@nhs.net Yours faithfully Laura Beach Practice manager
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Review titled What is the point of a surgery you can’t contact?
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 22 March 2023
I received a text message asking me to call the surgery. No other details. So began 2 days of trying to speak to someone. Called just after 8am and the message was the lines were too busy and to call back later. Tried at 2:10. Went through option 3. Got to position 2 in the queue… then simply nothing. 40 minutes of Muzak and ‘your call is very important to us’. Gave up. Went through on option 1 and 35 minutes to get from position 10 to position 8. Similar story the next day. What are they doing that causes these disgusting delays? 2 calls took 35 minutes? It’s just not believable and I firmly believe the receptionists are literally sitting there ignoring the phones. I haven’t got the time or energy to devote to sitting waiting for hours on hold. Why does this surgery ask me to call them (I have no idea what this is about which is worrying) when they clearly know it’s an impossible task? Why don’t they they try and call me if they want to speak to me? This smacks of them being able to say ‘well, we asked you to get in touch’ when something inevitably goes wrong. This surgery is a danger to its patients and needs an urgent review and intervention as I believe lives are being put at risk here.
Visited March 2023
Merchiston Surgery has not yet replied.
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Review titled Poor practice
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 03 February 2023
It is impossible to get appointments. I have tried this morning for my husband. No appointments available. Had to go through 111 who did make an appointment however it was just for a call. Why can’t we have face to face appointments anymore. He is 86 years old and we are basically having to self diagnose. Shocking care !!!
Visited February 2023
Merchiston Surgery has not yet replied.
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Review titled Terrible service
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 25 February 2023
I needed to get an alternative prescription and was not told a slot had to be made with the pharmacist and that would be when there was a slot available.
Visited February 2023
Merchiston Surgery has not yet replied.
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Review titled Telephone booking
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Jackie Minnear - Posted on 14 February 2023
My daughter rang surgery last night .They gave her 8am appointment .She turned up wasn't even booked in.She finds it so hard to get moving as she has two knee ops one hip op and is having back operation next week.What an unnecessary journey. She was stressed when she arrived home .Also happened to me went for Diabetic check not booked in even had card with time on it3rd time I was lucky .I know we all make mistakes .But this is too many .
Visited February 2023
Merchiston Surgery has not yet replied.