The Writtle Surgery - Chelmsford

Bradley C.

I’ve always found the surgery team to be helpful and professional. It can be frustrating waiting on the phone for long periods, however the front desk and Doctors all do they can. I for one am hugely grateful to the team despite the huge pressures they face every day. Well done all at Writtle Surgery. A special thanks to Dr Bradford and Gail on reception during my recent visit.

Helen H.

I have used this surgery on many occasions and have found the receptionists to be totally professional, polite and friendly. They have gone out of their way to help. My GP will always see me even if I have to wait, like most surgeries today. If it's an emergency they have always seen me the same day. Nothing but good to say about them.

Kerry

Awful awful surgery. Had a GP appointment booked for weeks before I noticed it said telephone appointment.

Called up reception who said the appointment was actually booked with a pharmacist. This was not clear on the website at all.
She then proceeded to tell me that actually the pharmacist wouldn’t have been able to see me anyway even if it was a correct booking, because she works from home.

Did no one think to tell me this for over a week?

The lady on the phone told me it’s “not her problem” and said “okay” before abruptly hanging up the phone.

So so rude!

Vernon W.

Medication was stopped. That was OK as I was due a review. However I was away and on my return, I contacted the surgery on Monday to say I had run out of insulin and was fobbed off with a two hour wait on a phone call which then cut off and directed me back to surgery. I explained and they said I had to come in Tuesday first thing to see duty doctor. Which I did. I waited for an hour and a half, but receptionist told me the doctor would ring me back shortly that day. Waited all day for phone call. Non came. I rang at 6pm to be told the duty doctor was busy and would leave at 6.30pm. There was no record of my visit earlier and request to see a doctor.

I contacted them again Wednesday and they promised my GP would ring. Here we are 2 and half days in. Still no contact with doctor.

Running out of insulin is a medical emergency... can be very serious. But reception seem to be dealing with it in a very unprofessional manner.

I just hope this casual attitude does not cause death or serious complications to a patient.

Daniel C.

I think it could be easier to land a space ship on the moon, blind folded, with your hands tied together, taking instructions in Chinese, than it is to get an appointment here, as every time you ring up you're number 76 in a queue and you could literally walk on your hands across the village quicker than it takes for them to answer the phone....

The thing is, how difficult can it be to have more people to answer phones? These problems have been going on for years with various excuses offered. Just read back some of the reviews.

First, they were short staffed due to Covid, then it was a new phone system and then it was staff training!

Advice to Management.

Track how many calls you receive every day, then calculate how many calls one person can answer in a day.

Then divide the total number of calls received by the answer and that's how many staff you need.

If you need 4 people and you only have 2, you can fix this problem by hiring 2 more!

There, the problem is solved once and for all.

Just checked, I have now moved 2 places up in the queue, I am getting quite excited now. To ease the pain we sometimes dance around the Kitchen to the hold music. If you have not tried this, you really should it's a great way to pass some time but it does get tiring after an hour or so.

Lesley B.

This surgery is the worst one I have ever been to in my 60 years. I've tried so many times to call for an appointment. I was number 15 in the queue on an afternoon, I pressed for a call back. At 5.30pm I had a txt saying I had missed the call back. I had my phone in my hand all afternoon. No call back was made to me. I tried calling next day to be number 3 in the queue. Great I think but after 25 minutes I was cut off.. shocking. I booked on line for 3 months in advance before this and it was cancelled the day before. Just been in to the surgery to book my appointment and was told by the receptionist, who isnt the most polite, that I need to wait for the doctor to call me .. I work at Broomfield, the patients coming to A&E are a reflection of the bad service from GPs. But this surgery has to be the worst. And I think the nurses and Doctors are actually really lovely from reading other reviews. I'm going to try a different gp surgery.

Jenny F.

It is sad that a practice should be so bad. The practice offers an appauling service. From waiting 2 hours for the phone to be answered to the level of care. I met one decent nurse in the whole 5 years we have been in Writtle
We have moved now thank goodness and now have a far better Dr's.

Mark T.

Terrible GP practice, never answer the phone, sit in a queue for hours and hours and their callback service doesnt work. I am disabled so cant always get down to the surgery, recently their pharmacy team stopped all my medications and refused to prescribe them (they are hspital prescribed so they cant review them anyway) I then got very sick unsurprisingly and have had to dial 999 to get my medication. This doctors is a disgrace and should be closed down. Far from getting better you are getting worse.... last time in i got barked at to stand behind the line by a very rude receptionist i havent seen before( you can clearly see by the crutch im disabled!) Now today i phone to book an appointment because dr Savici asked me to to be told you only book 10 days in advance she has no appointment i have to ring back everyday to ask if theres an appointment. Clearly youve missed the government memo about we shouldnt have to scramble for an appoibtment everyday at 8am. Ill write to Wes Streeting and ask him to book me one🤣