Dr R Kamath - Westgate Surgery

No point of calling them they never pick up, just find yourself a new general practitioner or go to the walk in centre for your best option. They don’t even deserve the one start in my being quite frank with you.

Thursday: Even with the new phone system in place it can take up to an hour to be answered by an actual person! And you cannot 'skip' the monologue when first connected to the option you need, making the call unnecessarily longer. How many calls are regarding Covid? Not many, I'll bet!I managed to have two, yes two operations in our great City Hospital (both minor, but involving anaesthetic) before I could actually see my GP at this practice (not Dr Kamath). I've been a patient since the day I was born and have seen it go downhill. It's such a shame, it used to be an excellent Surgery.Friday: So, today I needed to sort out a prescription problem for my husband. The Covid monologue has gone (hurrah) and I chose the department I needed, option 3, which is also for Health Professionals apparently.This option doesn't tell you where you are in the queue so you could be no. 50 or no. 3. This doesn't help as you don't know whether to hang on or not. I chose to hold on but 45 minutes later I gave up. I think I was quite patient but what Health Professional can spare 45 minutes and longer when the phone could be ringing to the cleaning lady? Sorry, or cleaning man? You are just left hoping someone will answer.I know this isn't life or death, but it IS quality of life, and therefore mental health, mindfulness, whatever you want to call it. It's an issue that needs resolving for my husbands wellbeing, and I can't resolve it for him if nobody answers the phone. So it's affecting my wellbeing also. PLEASE buck up Westgate Surgery, no wonder my blood pressure is so high!

I thought they were bad before Octagon took over, bad in that you could never get an appointment and when you did you would NEVER EVER get seen on time. I also hated the fact that I could never see the same doctor, they all seem to be locums.Now that octagon have taken over the ABSOLUTE MINIMUM waiting time I have waited ( with an appointment) is ONE HOUR!!!!I never go to the doctor unless I’m REALLY REALLY SICK so can you imagine how terrible it is to sit in that waiting room for over an hour feeling awful and having all the other sick peoples germs sprayed all over you!?The last time I was there I got up and asked how much longer ( after having waited 1hr15 mins for my PRE BOOKED appointment) by this stage my OCD had kicked in and I was having a full blown panic attack and the doctor just started shouting at me saying I’m not the only patient needing his help and I should learn to be more patient!So ... thanks for the “care”

This is the worst surgery. Can never get appointments on same day. So if I am feeling unwell today theres no way I can see my GP on the same day. And have to make 100s of call just to get an answer! They dont receive calls even at 11 am! The doctors say different things for same issue and not very happy with the way they treat their patients. I dont know if all the surguries are same or its just this one. But you definately need to improve to help your patients. People call you when they have some issues, no point in making them more miserable and force them to go to walk -in/Emergency Unit.

The doctors at the surgery are fantastic especially Dr Lopez. The problem you will have in trying to see the doctors is getting through the telephone system that gives you the option to press a number for appointments but then says capacity exceeded and disconnect you straight away so you can’t even get in the queue. If you are lucky enough after about 45 minutes or an hour of holding to speak to someone on the other end you will find the rudest receptionist and admin staff going. I am in customer services and if I ever treated any of my customers the way they treat people you would have no business. The practice manager you need to hang your heads in shame because of the surgeries are doing it bigger and better than you I would be giving my stuff disciplinary is if they spoke to people the way they do. When you go into the surgery to deliver a letter to the doctor you get told it will be disregarded. Who the hell do you think you are to disregard a patient’s letter to their GP. Hang your heads in shame.

Arrived literally 1 minute at at 14:52 when my appointment was 14:52. Waited 1 minute to be seen, sat there for 2 mins and then get notified that my appointment has been cancelled.When speaking to the receptionist (Owen), he advised me that my nurse (Lisa) was dealing with a 14:30pm appointment still, so she could not see me anyway.Then went on to say I shouldn’t have been so late and it’s unreasonable for me to think arriving on time was late.Yet the nurse, Lisa was seeing a 14:30 appointment 25 mins past that time, I was happy to wait, yet he was completely dismissive and unreasonable and very neglectful.Don’t know what they’re trying to run here but it’s certainly not to help people who are ill.

Problem to take any appointment but I can see some improvement as some appointments moves to thomas surgery. It is very difficult to get appointments through phone after long waiting as all time same message, all appointments is booked for today and call back tomorrow. It should increase numbers of doctor as it is located in city centre.

A very indifferent staff! Do not notice you without an appointment even if it is something urgent or worse and can be solved at them! On the phone line it takes hours to get in touch with one of the cabinet members ... very annoying .. .I really want to move

Worst experience ever!There is no point in calling them as they either don't pick up or just hang up the phone on you. Just avoid it if you can and find yourself a new general practitioner.