Rowlands Gill Medical Centre
The Grove, Rowlands Gill, NE39 1PWContact details and opening times
Patient ratings and reviews
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Reviews
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Review titled Totally disorganised and badly run surgery
by Anonymous - Posted on 10 March 2025
This has never been a particularly well run practice in the three decades I have been registered here, however over the last few years it has become progressively worse. Since becoming part if a group of surgeries with a company which owns many practices across the country the service has become less focussed on the health of the local community and more focussed on what works best for the owners. This begins with trying to access to anyone in order to discuss health concerns. The time it takes to get through to the surgery by phone can take anything from 30 minutes to an hour. If you go into the surgery there is nobody at the desk and you have to buzz for someone to attend. This makes the surgery itself is faceless and hugely unwelcoming. When you finally get through on the phone the options to see a health professional at the surgery are limited and often no appointments are available. The release of appointments on a fortnightly basis means there are more often than not no prebookable ones available. There is also a constant push for you to attend an appointment miles away at other surgeries which are part of the group. This is impractical and unhelpful for many patients. If I wanted an appointment miles away I’d phone that surgery! When I have managed to get an appointment I have always found the GPs to be polite, helpful and proactive in my families health care, however it is almost impossible to see the same doctor twice. I have recently had several appointments with other health care practitioners cancelled (by text!) which is inconvenient and concerning as they are for monitoring a long term health condition. The last cancellation was followed by two reminders to attend the appointment! Which meant I spent 40 minutes trying to phone the surgery to find out what was going on. The appointment had been cancelled so why was I receiving reminders to attend. Utterly ridiculous and time wasting. They advertise the fact they have a mental health practitioner but my son wasn’t helped by this so called ‘practitioner’ he was signposted to other services which have massive waiting lists so he is now seeing a private therapist. The staff at the surgery are always pleasant and I understand that they are doing their best under imposed circumstances but it is massively frustrating for people registered with this service. The problem of poor communication and lack of access to health care is clearly down to mismanagement of the practice. The company in charge is not putting patient needs first and their business model is not fit for purpose.
Visited March 2025
Rowlands Gill Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled Terrible Practice, Abysmal Service
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Dr. Jackson - Posted on 01 October 2024
Two years of escalating symptoms reported to practice. This culminated in being completely unable to pass anything since April. Have now lost over 16lbs in weight; and am barely eating. Constant pains in stomach, bowels and chest. Can't go to A and E as they are ongoing rather than new symptoms. Impossible to get through to GP without a minimum 'phone wait of 25 plus minutes. Admin staff completely unhelpful and completely out of their depth. Told yesterday that I could see a nurse practitioner in three weeks. Today that the earliest available appointment to see a GP was two weeks. Not acceptable for symptoms that could be cancer, where time is of the essence. Contacted Liver / GI / Colorectal to see when I was to be seen by them. GP referrals, which were supposed to have been done in May and June had not been received by them. As you can't go to see a specialist without a GP referral, this means a further wait of months. Yesterday's and today's experience are not one-offs - there are multiple examples going back years where serious ongoing conditions are not dealt with. No communication. No plan. No support. Abysmally organised practice, impossible to get through to, impossible to see anyone. No confidence in practice, or its ability to treat people appropriately.
Visited October 2024
Rowlands Gill Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled Less than helpful
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 09 September 2024
4 year old grandson was distressed due to severe ear pain. Called in to GP 90 minutes before it was due to close on Friday. Despite his obvious distress i was told 'he won't get seen today'. No explanation. Was told to call 111 and attend Blaydon walk in centre. Advice from 111 was to wait up to one hour to for a consultant to call me. I went in to the walk in only to be told there were no GP's available. Nurses could assess if i sat and waited. 111 tried to call back but there is no phone reception in the waiting room. Child was administered pain killers and nurses did what they could. However, if he needed antibiotics they would not have been in a position to prescribe. The initial response from the GP practice whilst a child was in obvious stress and pain was deplorable.
Visited September 2024
Rowlands Gill Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled Recent visit
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Liddle - Posted on 02 August 2024
Excellent experience. Dr very thorough and wonderful treatment. Nurse also excellent and performed ECG very professionally.
Visited August 2024
Rowlands Gill Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled Great experience today
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Alison - Posted on 15 August 2024
Needed to book multiple appointments when visited site today , friendly polite reception team Waiting room looks so more appealing, brighter, warmer All staff smiling
Visited August 2024
Rowlands Gill Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled Very professional
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Dale - Posted on 31 July 2024
I saw your member of staff for my annual check up and she was so friendly and professional. A credit to your practice
Visited July 2024
Rowlands Gill Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled Diabolical
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 02 June 2024
Both myself and my husband are registered with this practice and they just can’t seem to get it right. From repeat prescriptions not being ordered to telephone appointments which don’t lead to anything and referrals that take forever to organise, the whole system is broken. So much so that I had to write a letter of complaint to ask for a reimbursement of my prescription charge. This was ongoing for 4 months! We have to chase again and again which isn’t an easy task as we are usually in the queue for 15 minutes or more each time. This practice really needs sorting out urgently.
Visited May 2024
Rowlands Gill Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled fustrating experience - that's thankfully now over
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by keith - Posted on 06 June 2024
I've since moved from this practice and am so glad I have, in the 10+ years I was there they've never had a handle on communicating with patients. This ranged from hard to arrange appointments, being told conflicting information by people on reception about appointments, just not really bothering to get in touch with me at all when I was having a serious operation (that they'd previously mis-diagnosed and I had to diagnose myself by googling my symptoms) to taking nearly 3 months to forward my medical records onto my life insurance provider to their fantastically fustrating 'e' consult system. My new practice in comparison is much better and actually seem like they're interested in providing a service to me.
Visited January 2024
Rowlands Gill Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled Good practice
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Carol corbett - Posted on 24 November 2023
Had to go to practice today to have bloods taken as no appointments at my practice in crawcrook, appointment on time and friendly , professional staff xxx
Visited November 2023
Rowlands Gill Medical Centre has not yet replied.
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Review titled Friendly and helpful
Rated 4 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 17 October 2023
Originally husband and I booked for flu jabs with two separate nurses. My nurse saw we were together, with two young grandchildren. She took us all together and was very friendly and patient with the children. Although just booked for flu jab, nurse spotted I was eligible for a pneumonia jab, so gave me that to save me having to make a separate appointment.
Visited October 2023
Rowlands Gill Medical Centre has not yet replied.