East Street Pharmacy
WARDERS MEDICAL CENTRE, 47 EAST STREET, TONBRIDGE, KENT, TN9 1LAContact details and opening times
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Reviews
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Review titled Awful practice - do not use
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 09 February 2025
Stunned that my tax payer’s money is being used to fund this terrible level of service. Having been told to call in advance to ensure that a prescription is ready, no one ever picks up the phone! Having tried repeatedly today and yesterday with no luck (should my ability to receive my medication be reduced to “luck”?), I wonder whether the phones are switched to silent so as to avoid them having to be answered? In the private sector this place would have closed down long ago as customers (which is what we all are) would vote with their feet. I note that there are many similar reviews in this official NHS website but no improvement over many years. Why?
Visited February 2025
East Street Pharmacy has not yet replied.
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Review titled Really Disappointing
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 07 February 2025
I have been coming to this pharmacy for a few years, having decided to overlook their offhand approach because of the convenience of parking and out of hours service. However having been in earlier on in the week to pick up a prescription and to be told that they didn’t have it in stock, I went into to try again today. Having been kept waiting for a least 5 minutes (could have been longer), I handed over my prescription and asked if they had it in stock. The response was: how do I know I haven’t read it to find out what it is. She then checked, saw the packet on the shelf, took it down and asked me to wait. I waited for 25 minutes, listening to all the staff chatting together and then walked out. Some of the staff are delightful, particularly on a Saturday morning. However, the batch prescription I have is an absolute nightmare because they want me to phone beforehand and the telephone is often just left to ring and then I still have to wait for them to make it up when I go in. On a number of occasions I’ve been told that I can’t have it because the prescription is being made up elsewhere and hasn’t arrived yet.
Visited February 2025
East Street Pharmacy has not yet replied.
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Review titled Poor customer service
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Bernard Smith - Posted on 12 November 2024
Whilst visiting my family, my daughter realised that she would not have enough prescription formula for her 4 month old daughter. Having contacted NHS 24, she was told to proceed to East Street Pharmacy to collect the prescription. She was dealt with by the pharmacist who was extremely rude and off hand towards an obviously stressed 1st time mother who was trying to sort out the right formula milk which is only available on prescription because her daughter has an intolerance. First he told her that it wasn’t a prescription but a request, and that they didn’t have it stock anyway. He then proceeded to tell her that they were far too busy to deal with it and that if it was that important then she’d have to phone around the local pharmacies herself to see if anyone had it in stock then he’d phone through the details to them. He then told her that he couldn’t understand why she was upset as it was only formula milk. My daughter then found a pharmacy in Sevenoaks that had it in stock and went back in to let the pharmacist know, again with a particularly rude and offhand manner, he again told her that he’d send them an email as he was still to busy to deal with it. On arriving in Sevenoaks at Boots pharmacy it turned out that he hadn’t forwarded any details so, fortunately an extremely helpful pharmacist dealt with it all in a kind and compassionate manner. Not only giving her the formula milk on prescription but making sure that her repeat prescription was in order for when she got home. I feel that if the pharmacist at East Street Pharmacy had showed more empathy to my daughter as his role should, then she wouldn’t have left in tears thinking that she’s a bad mother which she most certainly isn’t. Also, on that note, if all the staff, including the pharmacist were properly trained in customer service which this public based service deserves then there would be no need for the passive aggressive sign at the counter telling customers that rudeness and aggression towards the staff will not be tolerated, which is as it should be, but unnecessary in my eyes if the staff were doing their jobs properly in the first place.
Visited November 2024
East Street Pharmacy has not yet replied.
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Review titled Rude!
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 09 December 2024
Once the receptionist had helped the person in front of me, the way she approched me was pulling a face as if what do you want? Yep that's right no speach at all. She then told me it was half hour wait - thought this was a bit excessive as only had one person in front of me but fine. When I got my medication I checked it and they had given me an empty box. Yep that's right just an empty packaging. Not impressed!
Visited August 2024
East Street Pharmacy has not yet replied.
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Review titled Could be an amazing Practice but lacking.
Rated 3 stars out of 5
by Long time customer - Posted on 06 August 2024
I've always used East Street ever since it opened. Like most places/people/businesses, everyone has off days and a few years back, these were few and far between. It can't be all blamed on covid as the service was declining before this but there is a distinct lack of customer interest or care now so much so that I've decided to not use them anymore. Today, I had to call 6 times until my phone timed out each time to check a medication was in stock as I've been changed to it and need to take one today. When the phone was answered, the staff member was just quite short with me and a bit abrupt. There are many things I'd change. 1. Notices saying that rudeness won't be tolerated towards staff. I think positive enforcement is less aggressive so a notice that read kindness goes a long way. Please speak politely to staff...may make you feel more welcome. I have noticed patients talking more rudely over the years and becoming more demanding but honestly, the feel of the place is quite dismissive and so even the most calm person can feel frustrated! 2. Interaction with Patients. There is very little politeness from staff to customer. No hellos...no apologies if you're waiting a long time especially when it doesn't seem a lot is going on with some staff chatting. Even if they're doing something that looks.like nothing ,they could say, sorry...we'll be with you in a minute or two. It's a small.place to be standing there ignored and in silence. 3. The phone isn't answered. I think it should be if you advertise a number. They can have prescriptions there for days that don't get filled when they arrive and calling ahead prevents a 20 minute or longer wait for pick up especially if you need to check the meds are in stock or the prescription arrived OK. And smile. Some do...there's a lady who is often very lovely but there used to be lots of staff who were lovely and I'm sorry to say, it's not like that now. When you're working with people who don't necessarily have a good customer manner, you don't learn to have one yourself and it's tough to be the odd one out if you're very customer orientated. I'm sure it's pressurised work and you can't please everyone all the time but you can be kind and understanding and thoughtful and I really think that friendly behaviour is reciprocated more often than not. A way to diffuse someone who is not polite to you is to be incredibly polite back and not mimic the attitude. I loved this pharmacy. The hours are amazing for people who work and can't take time off in the day to collect prescriptions; The parking is great out of dr hours and having it attached to my GP practice was a massive plus. This could be an amazing local small pharmacy as it has so much potential.
Visited July 2024
East Street Pharmacy has not yet replied.
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Review titled Poor service
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 12 June 2024
Called ahead of collecting a prescription, 6 calls all unanswered. On arrival 6 members of staff, no customers, tried the phone and still no answer! No welcome reception, just told to ‘wait’ too busy sharing another girls quavers
Visited June 2024
East Street Pharmacy has not yet replied.
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Review titled Inconsistent
Rated 2 stars out of 5
by David - Posted on 26 April 2024
The team at East Street always try hard to help but their process is inconsistent and at times chaotic. There are no guarantees that even batch prescriptions will be ready when expected and often, it requires two or even three trips back before one is ready for collection. Ringing to check is discouraged (I received a blanket letter to the affect). Not sure if there is a process or not. All I need to know is that my batches are ready for collection after a specific date of each month (the 24th in my case). Specific experience, I went to pick up my batch of 3 items on Tuesday 23rd April. Only one item was ready and I was advised to come back after 4.30pm when the pharmacist would be back from lunch. I decided to leave it a few days and went back on the 26th - the items were still not ready and I was advised to come back after 4.30pm. So I need to go back a third time with no guarantee the items will be ready. I will call first this time, despite this being discouraged!
Visited April 2024
East Street Pharmacy has not yet replied.
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Review titled Terrible customer service
Rated 1 star out of 5
by Anonymous - Posted on 26 March 2024
I called the other day to ask if they stocked what I was looking for and they were extremely unwilling to help just kept saying speak to my doctor - it was a Sunday and I knew what I could take I just wanted advice on what they had in. I thought the purpose of the pharmacist being in is that they could give advice and guidance on some medications. I have since spoke to my doctor after this pharmacy couldn’t get me off the phone quick enough - website says there are open until 10pm and google says 9pm I called 3 times between 6:45-7:45 pm and the line rings before being cut off. No where else is open I have emailed and called as I have no where else I can get what I need from until tomorrow and they are extremely unhelpful and unprofessional
Visited March 2024
East Street Pharmacy has not yet replied.
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Review titled Great Customer service
Rated 5 stars out of 5
by Michael Barnett - Posted on 05 August 2023
I had spent six weeks as a visitor here and due to my bad planning ran out of my epilepsy medication. I contacted the emergency services and was referred to this pharmacy. And yes, I have read the other reviews but, on a Saturday morning when I was due to fly that night back to New Zealand, the lead person at the pharmacy acknowledged the fact I was a visitor, understood my dilemma, and looked only to provide a solution. The customer service on a Saturday morning at 8am was great. Good communication by all parties is always essential, patience and tolerance are behaviors that support great customer service. Michael Barnett, NZ
Visited August 2023
East Street Pharmacy has not yet replied.
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Review titled Incompetence
Rated 1 star out of 5
by David - Posted on 24 June 2023
On the morning of the 23.6.2023 I phoned the pharmacy to see if prescriptions for myself and my son were ready to collect,I was told that they were.I informed the lady on the phone that I would collect them later.I went to the pharmacy at about 1530 and after waiting for about 15 mins I entered the shop ,a gentleman in front of me seemed to be agitated about getting hid medication and was asked to sit down and wait for awhile.Now it was my turn.The young lady at the counter said that she would be 2 seconds mmm it turned into 10 mins.when I asked for my prescriptions she told me that I could not have them because the pharmacist had gone to lunch,I explained that I had phoned and that they were ready to collect,she still would not let me have them.I am now fuming and told them that I had never known such incompetence and after a short discussion walked out of the shop.THe following morning I went back to collect my prescriptions ,my sons was ready but own had somehow walked and could not be found.Eventually they made up my prescription and I left totally disgusted.I would not use that place again.Incompetence in the highest.
Visited June 2023
East Street Pharmacy has not yet replied.