Ouse Valley Practice
London Road, Handcross, Haywards Heath, West Sussex, RH17 6HBContact details and opening times
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Reviews
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Review titled Lack of appointments
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 12 October 2023
I have been contacted by my midwife following a routine urine test to say that I have a UTI and to call my GP to get antibiotics. After waiting on hold for over half an hour I was simply told there are no more appointments today, phone back tomorrow. For context I am 37+5 weeks pregnant and have been in so much pain this week with cramping that I thought it was early labour! I asked the receptionist when I called if a GP can just do the prescription for me without seeing me as I’ve already had my urine tested and know what the issue is but was told no they need to see you. No advice given on alternative ways to be seen today. Terrible service! We’ll see if I manage to win the appointment lottery tomorrow and finally get to see someone, probably after waiting on the phone for another half an hour!
Visited October 2023
Review titled Ouse Valley Practice
Replied on 16 October 2023
Dear Anonymous, all pregnant ladies that have been contacted by the Midwife with a UTI, the midwife sends a task to the GP who will then issue a prescription for the medication to treat it. Please contact the surgery if you have not heard from us, since your contact with the Midwife. Kind Regards The Practice Manager
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Review titled Your call is irrelevant to us
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 30 October 2023
Every time I phone the surgery I wait between 15 and 35 minutes before I can get through. The repetitive tune loops around with a male voice saying how important the call is. But the endless wait clearly contradicts the message and after waitng so long to get through it just becomes an irritating joke! This has happened in the morning for an emergency appointment and at other times during the day. I understand that both surgeries are busy and the NHS is stretched but surely there must be more than one person manning the phone lines.
Visited October 2023
Review titled Ouse Valley Practice
Replied on 31 October 2023
Dear Anonymous We are currently experiencing a very high volume of telephone calls at the surgery, which we can only deal with one at a time. Our Reception team answer the telephone calls between 830-9am as a priority then we have at least one person answering the calls for the rest of the day. We understand that the wait times have been longer than usual, we have limited the number of people that are able to wait in the call queue to prevent too many people waiting at any one time. The telephone message can be frustrating but we do answer the calls as quickly as possible and appreciate everyone for being patient. We are actively recruiting for more receptionist staff, so we hope that helps Regards, The Practice Manager
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Review titled Concerns for my daughter
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 13 October 2023
My adult Daughter has been experiencing breast pain for 3 weeks, as recommend she left it 3 weeks to see if pain had subsided, which it hadn’t so she tried to make a GP appointment, didn’t expect one straight away but hoped to get an appointment at least next week. Was advised to either go to the walk in centre or call 111, who directed her to make an appointment with her GP, basically going round in circles, considering it is breast awareness month, I consider this to not only be an unnecessary delay in what could be potentially breast cancer but extremely worrying that she’s feeling at a loss to know what to do, she works, has 3 children & should be able to see a GP at her local surgery, we know if she went to the walk in centre, she would be referred to her GP for further assessment, this is crazy, she needs to see a Doctor, not only for further investigations & opinion but to put her mind at rest, as her Mother I am worried & disgusted she is not being seen Regards Sharon Harris
Visited October 2023
Review titled Ouse Valley Practice
Replied on 16 October 2023
Dear Sharon Harris, Please can you ask your daughter to contact the surgery to make an appointment, if there is one available. If not she will go on the waiting list for a routine appointment which is reviewed regularly by a GP. Kind Regards The Practice Manager.
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Review titled Needs improvement
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 11 July 2023
I have always thought once past reception the doctors and nurses have been very professional and kind. My issue is the attitude of one receptionist. She needs training on empathy and compassion. I understand receptionists are doing their job but her manner is not acceptable when patients are already feeling anxious about their health. I work in the NHS I wouldn't talk to anyone the way she does.
Visited July 2023
Review titled Ouse Valley Practice
Replied on 24 July 2023
Dear Anonymous, we take all feedback very seriously we are sorry to hear that your experience with our reception team has been disappointing. I will be speaking to the team in our next reception meeting and your concerns that you raised will be addressed. The Practice Manager
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Review titled Not to much to praise about
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Mr Terry Earl - Posted on 21 July 2023
As usual, a long wait on the telephone. And then they ask you to ring in after 8.30 the next day for an appointment. That's not Saturday or Sunday? That's Monday! God give me strength. I want to see my doctor. Make an appointment. Hello!
Visited July 2023
Review titled Ouse Valley Practice
Replied on 16 October 2023
Dear Mr Earl, we are sorry that you are experiencing some issues getting an appointment. The demand for appointments is very high and if the receptionist feels that your request is routine, they will add you to a waiting list for when the next routine appointment becomes available. We are aware this is not always convenient for the patients, however our Doctors have to work within a safe parameter. Guidelines have been given to our reception team to offer other pathways for patients to access appointments. Kind Regards - Practice Manager
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Review titled Wait Times for Prescriptions/Phone calls
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 21 June 2023
I called and choose the option to speak to the dispensary as it was 12 days since I requested my medication and had not had a text to advise me it was ready for collection. Waited for 45 minutes on hold before giving up and redialling, this time I choose option 1 for reception. Got cut off twice, 3rd time lucky spoke to receptionist who advised that 'the dispensary are not answering the phone because they are busy'. Why have the option for them available then, or at least have a recorded message to advise of this to stop people waiting. I only wanted to know if my prescription was ready, I was told I would have to travel to the surgery to find out and that the receptionist could not walk the very short distance to the dispensary to enquire for me. I gave up and tried again the next day to be told the same thing, only this time much to my persistence the receptionist was really helpful and went and checked in the dispensary and confirmed it is ready to collect. Why did I not get the usual text message to advise me of this? and why couldn't the first person that I spoke to be as helpful.
Visited June 2023
Review titled Ouse Valley Practice
Replied on 29 June 2023
Dear Anonymous, we take all feedback very seriously and go to great lengths to look into the concerns that are brought to our attention. We are sorry to hear that your experience with our dispensary regarding the telephones has been very disappointing. We are now in the process of changing the way patients can contact dispensary, this will enable patients to leave messages for the dispensers to deal with, and patients will then be contacted by someone from the dispensary team about your medication query. The Practice Manager
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Review titled Professional Practice
Rated 4 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 25 May 2023
Yes it is hard to get an appointment and frustrating when the receptionist seems to be able to decide whether your medical problem is urgent or not but I think that sadly, this is the same at just about any GP practice these days. My experience today was a helpful receptionist and professional consultation with the doctor who was knowledgeable and also very easy to talk to. Generally I have always felt that all the doctors at this practice are very thorough and always friendly and make me feel listened to.
Visited May 2023
Review titled Ouse Valley Practice
Replied on 29 June 2023
Dear Anonymous, thank you for taking the time to write your review. I will feed this back to all staff. The Practice Manager
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Review titled Worst practice ever
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 23 May 2023
Never any appointments, not given the right information and phone hung up on me. I'm sure the doctors and nurses are lovely if you get past the receoption.
Visited April 2023
Review titled Ouse Valley Practice
Replied on 29 June 2023
Dear Anonymous, we take all feedback very seriously we are sorry to hear that your experience with our reception team has been disappointing. It is not the receptionists being difficult but they are carrying out instructions from the GPs. We have recently changed our appointment system, which has improved patient access. The Practice Manager
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Review titled Prescription system
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 13 March 2023
Went to my surgery to collect my repeat prescription that would normally take at most 10 minutes, but since they brought in this stupid ticket system it's causing havoc this time I was waiting well over an hour.they've tried this system before it didn't work then either.Why try to fix something that isn't broken .it should have been left as it was now you get loads of peopl patients sitting there for anything over an hour.ticket numbers between 22 and 25 had already left ,I feel sorry for the frail pensioners
Visited February 2023
Review titled Ouse Valley Practice
Replied on 29 June 2023
Dear Anonymous, Thank you for your feedback. We appreciate your concerns regarding the dispensary and we are sorry that the service you have experienced has been disappointing, our dispensary team have been working very hard with many extra hours and weekend working to now be able to dispense medication within the target of a 5 day turnaround. We hope that the service we are able to provide will improve for yourself.
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Review titled Great Practice
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Iqra - Posted on 05 December 2023
I've been with 3 different gp practices before ouse valley practice no 1 was like this surgery I'm very pleased whenever i call for appointment i get one Dr's are so kind and helpful
Visited December 2022
Review titled Ouse Valley Practice
Replied on 06 December 2023
Dear Iqra, thank you for your feedback and you kind words about the Practice, I will feed this back to all the practice staff. Kind regards The Practice Manager