The Castle Practice

The telephone system is very awkward, you have to press 1 for an appointment but your then told that no ones available and it disconnects. Its so hard to even get in the queue on the phone. When you do its normal to be 25 in the queue but at least you have some idea of how long you will be waiting rather than the line just disconnecting. I have been trying for a few days to get in but could not get through. Today I managed to get in the telephone queue and got an appointment easily. This is normally the case. Once you get into the queue appointments are normally available and I have no complaints about the care received here. The staff are all lovely and try their best to help.

I find it easy to get an appointment here. The reception staff are really good and they are so helpful. The nursing staff are also excellent and very helpful.

I have no complaints at all. The receptionists always manage to it me in. I am diabetic and have regular blood tests. The surgery always make contact with me I never have to chase anything up.

A recent error was made with a prescription that could have led to serious implications. Fortunately this error was picked up by the pharmacy and was rectified.

I find the service excellent. They deal with all my needs at the surgery which is great. I feel that I am treated well with kindness and care. Everything is explained carefully to me and I manage to see them if I am experiencing any difficulties.

Reception staff are great and very helpful. However I have seen a few different GPs and each one has made me feel like I'm wasting their time and that my problems are in my head. When a doctor at a hospital has now had to override my own GP and monitor me for support regarding long term issues. Medication should have been prescribed from my GP following a hospital appointment but was never done. Just got impression the GPs here don't care or have compassion for the pain.

I never get through to see the doctor face to face for prescribed medication. My mental health is not getting better because I am not receiving the appropriate care.

I had been ringing for an appointment for days but I was unable to get an appointment despite explaining the circumstances and my medical history (which they should know as I am their patient). After a few days I was told to call 111 which I did. After going though another process of calling them, being called back and having to repeat my story over and over, 111 said a doctor would call me. I was then called back by my own surgery who had been told by 111 to book me an appointment for that day. I was glad to be seen and care was good once I saw the doctor. However, the system seems completely chaotic. I was unwell but had to spend a day on the phone going over and over the problem to end up where I had started back with my own surgery. This caused me a great deal of stress and frustration.

I don't feel that I am listened to by staff because I appear younger than I am. My young child had ongoing stomach issues and due to family medical history and my own experience I knew that my son had a dietary condition. I repeatedly told the doctors about my concerns but they kept dismissing me. In the end I took my mom with me to an appointment to support and advocate on my behalf and I only feel that I was taken seriously after this point.

It's difficult to get an appointment. If you manage to get through on the phone line your usually told that all appointments have gone and that you need to call again the next day. The cycle continues and it can end up being days before you actually manage to book an appointment.