The Mayflower Medical Centre

Brilliant and friendly staff and professionals who clearly knew what they were on about.My fiance had an outer ear infection and was wrongly prescribed some Ciprofloxacine Ear drops from Colchester General Hospital. The nurse at Mayflower corrected this by simply looking on her records and in only a couple of minutes set an instant prescription for the right medication. She was really friendly and helpful and so we're the pharmaceutical team. Also well furnished hospital with efficient technology used to make the waiting process faster.

Ordered my prescription on the phone (or so I thought) and the lady said it had a all gone through. I went to the pharmacy 12 days later, to be told they have nothing for me. Firstly, what a waste of time; secondly, I now urgently need my prescription, but I can’t get through to anyone on the phone to order it again!!! I’ve been told I can order by writing it on a piece of paper and posting it in the letter box - are we in the 1900’s? I don’t have time to “pop in” and post a piece of paper. I should be able to call up and order, and drop in a few days later with no issues. What a joke of a “medical centre” who can’t even help their patients.

Updated review:Firstly, thank you to the staff at this practice who have been friendly, helpful and competent. Your nurses are absolutely wonderful and I commend them. The Practice Pharmacy team are also great and so professional.I'm updating the rest of my review to reflect recent experiences which have been excellent, mainly because of Dr Koralage, who has gone above and beyond to ensure I receive the correct treatment for long and short term medical conditions.While there have been some disappointing experiences previously, I do understand that your staff work hard and I want to thank you for everything you do during a difficult and incredibly busy time for practices.

Tried telephoning 5 times over a period of 2 days only to be cut off each time...once after reaching caller no 1. This does not include the dozens of times I tried when I got an engaged signal. Incidentally this was not during peak times but later into the afternoon. Reason for calling was to book a blood test...one which was a follow up and which the Doctor had deemed necessary. Went to the surgery to book the blood test and was met by a young girl who explained she was unable to book it and recommended I telephone! Answerphone message asks people to understand that staff are doing all they can and that 'bad language is not tolerated' and 'a kind word goes along way'. I explained to the young girl that after trying repeatedly to get through I was not phoning again as my levels of frustration were increasing such that if I ever got through the call would not be particularly polite. The problem is with the telephone system...becoming angry on the phone is not my normal way of doing things. She went away and returned booking me in for a blood test....amazing how it can be booked after all! Arrived today for the appointment to be told it wasn't booked and then told it had been cancelled due to shortage of test tubes...reported in the news recently, so understandable. Problem was that no one thought to let me know it had been cancelled. I was to look on the website and phone (!) when blood tests were available. Where on the website?...the receptionist was unable to tell me. Read in the newspaper this week that the Mayflower Medical Centre is putting in place a new appointment system yet this is not communicated anywhere to the patient that problems are occurring...on the website, on the answerphone message, in the newspaper etc. Trying to get an appointment with no communication of the problems currently experienced with the appointment system, not being informed of a cancelled appointment are yet further examples of staff rather than the patient being the focus of what is supposedly a service.

This surgery cannot blame Covid for it's appalling service. It has been this bad since they brought in the triage system years ago. Apparently the patients had voted to keep this system - I don't think so some how! How can I wait nearly 2 hours to get through on the phone whilst I am working? Then if you are lucky to get put on the list for a call back, you have to carry your phone around at work (even to the toilet!). Final point, my Mum had cancer and was told to do the telephone triage to arrange to remove her dressing - just what she needed when she was fighting for her life! Some discretion could have been used here. Bin the triage system.

I've been a patient at this GP's for 8 years, in the last 4 I've been completely unable to see or speak to a GP (I've been forced to use Babylon to speak to GPs). The only reason I've given one star is because it won't let me post a zero star rating. In the first 4 years they were excellent and operated a system where you phoned booked a call with your GP, the GP phoned you and then if needed would book an appointment (normally within a couple of days), However, now they have moved to a lottery system, where you must phone in at 8am on the day to get a phone call (no in-person) appointment, this means the automated system answer the phone puts you in a queue which only allows 50 people in the queue (or it simply hangs up on you). If you are lucky enough to get through by 8:04 all the appointments have gone.

I was taken ill with a water infection. I know from family history how dangerous this can get. I rang to get an appointment and was told to ring next day a 8am. I told them my problem and I was sent to A and E.40 mile roud trip and 4 hour wait in a busy dept. Other patients had serious illnesses, breaks and head injuries. 3 minute consultation and suppied with anti bioticsA waste of their resources.This needs to be sorted.

First off you phone at 8.00am for an appointment and have to wait in line, when you do finally get to speak to someone they tell you your doctor is fully booked. You're not even allowed to see another doctor ! My partner phoned today to see his GP because he's having chest pains. They said your GP is on leave so you got to phone back next week. He asked if he can see another doctor and they said no. Absolutely unbelievable !!

We have seen Mayflower Medical group suffer negative comments in the past but we want to say how impressed we are with the service that our family has recieved over the last 2 years and especially the last 6 months . Excellent . thank you to everyone there.