West Berkshire Community Hospital
London Road, Benham Hill, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG18 3ASContact details and Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
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Reviews
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Review titled New Sangix blood test booking system
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Chris Hoar - Posted on 12 February 2023
I am a regular user of the sangix blood test booking system. I am very tech savvy. The old system worked perfectly. The new system is definitely not fit for purpose and extremely customer unfriendly. It is nearly impossible to book an appointment more than 2 weeks in advance and no explanation of what a “waiting list” is! The calendar is too small, the print is too faint. I expect the telephone booking system must be very busy as people will be put off booking online. I have read your response to other comments similar to mine and do not accept your excuse that you are not responsible for the look and operation of the system. Surely you had some patients beta test the system before it went live! Some sort of timescales as to when the system will be changed to a more user friendly system would be appreciated. I would like to book a blood test at the beginning of May 2023. Not put on a waiting list which does not help with planning.Some help would be appreciated
Visited Phlebotomy services on February 2023
Review titled West Berkshire Community Hospital
Replied on 17 February 2023
Dear Chris, Thank you for your posting and I am sorry that you experienced difficulties when using this platform. We can only apologise for this. Our booking system underwent a mandatory upgrade and we do not have control over the appearance of it. However, we will take your comments back to the provider, as we need the system to be user friendly. Our Service Manager is kept updated with service user feedback and is in contact with the service provider. Please contact support@sangix.co.uk and they will follow up with you and guide you through the process. I hope that this helps and please contact me if I can assist further. Kind regards, Trevor Lyalle Patient Advice &Liaison Service Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Tel: 01189043467 email:pals@berkshire.nhs.uk
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Review titled Appointment booking process is useless
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 09 February 2023
Trying to book an appointment for an 85 year old who is not tech savvy is an absolute waste of time. Tried to create a new user in the Sangix system and it will not go further than the select the hospital screen, so apparently the West Berkshire community hospital does not exist!! Good luck with trying to use the automated phone booking system and be prepared to answer the same questions over and over then getting cut off. Another wasted hour of my life
Visited Don't know on February 2023
Review titled West Berkshire Community Hospital
Replied on 10 February 2023
Dear Sir or Madam, Thank you for your e mail and I am sorry to learn that you experienced difficulties when using this booking platform. We can only apologise for this. Our booking system underwent a mandatory upgrade and we do not have control over the appearance of it. However, we will take your comments back to the provider, as we need the system to be user friendly. If I can assist further, please contact me. Alternatively, you could contact your local Healthwatch organisation for assistance. Contact details can be found on our website. www.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk Kind regards, Trevor Lyalle Patient Advice & Liaison Service Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Tel: 01189043467 E mail: pals@berkshire.nhs.uk
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Review titled Booking system repeated failure
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 20 March 2023
Having spent the best part of two hours on the phone to book a blood test for my daughter last week. (Can't do online booking as she's a child). I was promised a call back to book her in as she's a child, within 48 hours of speaking to them, it was unclear why they weren't booking me in at the time as the phone line is meant be book for booking children and urgent appointments, but I accepted that's the way it works. I never got that call back and it's six days later. Having waited two hours on the phone today and gone from being 14th to 2nd in the queue I was cut off. I'm now on the phone Again!! 11th in the queue Still, running out of battery and at my wits end. She really needs this test and we've already lost a week since being sent for testing. On top of all this when you first get through (having tried multiple times as initially you can't and just get 'user busy' repeatedly) you then get the menu of options, press 3 too book urgent/child appts, then it takes you through to the same menu of options again, Four Times!! before it put us in the booking queue. This isn't new as I remember the same thing happening a long time ago when I had to book an appointment. The booking system is completely broken and there is no other way to get in touch but to sit for hours not knowing if you'll get through at the end of it.
Visited Phlebotomy services on February 2023
Review titled West Berkshire Community Hospital
Replied on 23 August 2023
Dear patient, Thank you for your posting and please accept my apologies for the delay in responding. I have a response from our Phlebotomy team and we are sorry that you experienced problems when booking a blood test on behalf of your daughter. A new phone system has been implemented across Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and the phlebotomy department had just switched over from the old hospital system and implemented the new system, WebEx. Initially an issue was identified with the phone lines, which caused patients to be stuck in a loop and continue to queue for long periods of time. We are extremely sorry for this and for the obvious frustration it caused you, particularly as you were trying to make an appointment for your daughter. This has now been rectified although the phone lines remain busy, especially first thing in the morning. The team are exploring the possibility of running a remote telephone hub with the ability to open up more phone lines to alleviate long telephone waiting times. If you would like to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to contact me. Alternatively, you could contact Healthwatch for assistance. Healthwatch are the consumer champions for Health and Social Care. https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/ Kind regards, Trevor Lyalle Patient Advice& Liaison Service. Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Tel: 01189043467 E mail: pals@berkshire.nhs.uk
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Review titled Poor appointment booking service
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 08 February 2023
spent 30 minutes this morning trying to make an appointment in March that will be convenient for me. On-line option not available - unsecure sangix website - and telephone alternative a very aggravating series of questions. Might suit NHS AI but a dreadful experience for the service user. Finally got there - yes, 30 minutes
Visited Phlebotomy services on February 2023
Review titled West Berkshire Community Hospital
Replied on 10 February 2023
Dear Sir or Madam, Thank you for your posting and I am sorry that you experienced problems when using this booking system. I have contacted our Service Manager and we can only apologise for this. Our booking system underwent a mandatory upgrade and we do not have control over the appearance of it. However, we will take your comments back to the provider, as we need the system to be user friendly. Please contact me if I can assist further. Alternatively, you could contact your local Healthwatch organisation for assistance. Healthwatch are the consumer champions for health and social care. Contact details can be found on our website. www.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk Kind regards, Trevor Lyalle Patient Advice & Liaison Service Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Tel: 01189043467 E mail: pals@berkshire.nhs.uk
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Review titled Failure of booking systems, again!
Rated 1 star out of 5
by MacPhee - Posted on 26 January 2023
Booked an urgent Blood Test appointment yesterday afternoon for 8.10am this morning, this was confirmed by the person I spoke to on the phone at the time. I got to the West Berkshire Community Farce and the appointment had disappeared from their system!! This is the second time this, or similar, has happened. I no-longer trust them at all and I have instructed my Doctor to ensure that I am never referred to them again. The cafe staff are nice.
Visited Don't know on January 2023
Review titled West Berkshire Community Hospital
Replied on 08 February 2023
Dear Sir or Madam, Thank you for your posting and I am sorry to learn that you experienced problems when booking an appointment with this service. Following contact with our Phlebotomy service manager, I understand that contact was made with you and your concerns have been addressed. I hope that this is satisfactory. Please contact me if you experience further difficulties. Alternatively, you could contact your local Healthwatch organisation for assistance. Contact details can be found on our website. www.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk Kind regards, Trevor Lyalle Patient Advice&Liaison Service. Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Tel: 01189043467 Email: pals@berkshire.nhs.uk
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Review titled Sangix booking
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Edwina Channon - Posted on 27 January 2023
I have just struggled to (sucessfully) make an appointment for a blood test, using the new Sangix system for the first time. I am old and not technically minded and struggled to find my way through resetting my password only to be told at the end it was too short. Eventually managed to correct this and hit a further hurdle trying to figure out how to get beyond January. Which, after wasting more time I succeeded in doing. All this was further complicated by using very small type, and very pale colours on a white background. I am visually impaired in that I have macular degeneration in one eye and am waiting for a YAG laser procedure on the other, and I simply could not see what was on the page without a manifying glass. And then I wasn't sure. People designing these sites should consider these factors. The system worked well before, why ruin it?
Visited Phlebotomy services on January 2023
Review titled West Berkshire Community Hospital
Replied on 10 February 2023
Dear Edwina, Thank you for your posting and I am sorry to learn that you experienced difficulties when booking an appointment. I have been in touch with our Phlebotomy service manager and we can only apologise for this. Our booking system underwent a mandatory upgrade and we do not have control over the appearance of it. However we will take your comments back to the provider, as we need the system to be user friendly. I hope that this addresses your concerns. Please contact me directly, should you experience further problems. Alternatively, you could contact your local Healthwatch organisation for assistance. Healthwatch are the consumer champions for health and social care. Contact details can be found on our website. www.berkshirehealthcare.nhs.uk Kind regards, Trevor Lyalle Patient Advice & Liaison Service Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Tel: 01189043467 E mail: pals@berkshire.nhs.uk
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Review titled Friendly hospital
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 28 December 2022
Been using the Hospital mostly for blood tests, but also for day surgery, physiotherapy, and a range of other services outsourced from RBH in Reading. Never fail to be friendly and helpful in all aspects of dealing with myself and my wife over the years. Love the new booking system for the blood tests. Very efficient and time saving.
Visited Physiotherapy on December 2022
Review titled West Berkshire Community Hospital
Replied on 03 January 2023
Dear Sir or Madam, Thank you for your posting and kind comments. It is pleasing to learn that you are happy with the services provided at West Berkshire Community Hospital. I will share your feedback with staff concerned. I am sure that they will appreciate this recognition for all of their hard work. Kind regards, Trevor Lyalle Patient Advice & Liaison Service Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust Tel: 01189043467 Email: pals@berkshire.nhs.uk
Information supplied by Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust