The St James Practice

I care for my brother who is a patient there and everyone from receptionists to clinicians go above and beyond.

My friend doesn't speak English very well. She went to the surgery reception asking for an appointment after a traffic accident and the reception staff refused to give her an appointment and send her a link to make an appointment online. The appointment app is only open from 8.30am to 10.30am. She asked for my help and I was helping her to fill the form over the phone, I was about to submit the form when exactly at 10.30am the application closed. The appointment app is only available in English. I wonder how elderly patient with perhaps limited access to a computer or smart phone manage to make appointments too. I found the whole experience an example of medical discrimination.

they never phoned for a telephone appointment. After struggling to get an appointment, My friend with very limited command of English Language was sent a text message for a telephone appointment for the 24th October 2023. Despite waiting for the whole day by the phone, with my travelling to her home to take the call and to interpret for her, the call never came.

I contacted the receptionists to schedule me for that day at a consultation knowing that one of their colleagues told me that I could have a consultation that day only if you call from 8 o'clock in the morning. In the mornig after 12 houres of Shift I contact them and I waited 15 minutes in hold , I was desperate to ask for help from a doctor, my friend had been hurting his back for more than a week, and he couldn't move, so I said to ask for help from a doctor to be seen by a doctor. , a consultation anything , any help . For the first time since I've been here in 3 years, I ask to for doctor help and I was treated so badly. The lady on the phone laughed at me and her colleague, raised her voice to me and did not treat me with indifference without offering me any help. I felt so helpless. There are some people who do not know English so well and the steps here to be consulted by a doctor are different from other countries, that is why you are there to offer us help and assistance. I asked if my friend could be seen by the doctor that day and she told me that I should go to the consultation with him or call the emergency room. In my country I know that having seen a doctor or going to a consultation is the same, I don't understand what she didn't understand and why she laughed at me or yelled at me. If I can't call my family doctor when I have a problem then why am I still enrolled in the family doctor. I felt very helpless.

I have tried several days in order to get an appointment. I want to send them a form to Opt-out but there is no email to send them the form... Very dissapointing

You will hardly ever get an appointment. Automatically tell you to go with a child to a&e. The place is falling apart and walls covered in black mould.

Don’t care about our health.It’s more easier for them having a phone call instead to see eye to eye your issues

Good service.

I was fortunate to secure a face to face appointment recently at St James HC. However, on turning up 20 minutes prior to my appointment time, I had to join a queue in the carpark, with 8 persons ahead of me. I enquired how long have some people been waiting and was advised many in excess of 25 mins. This is unacceptable. Some of us were waiting way past our appointment time, three patients with children. Whilst I appreciate these are trying times, HCs have to do better.

They have been there for my husband 100% and always do their best. I've never had any problems.

I'm quite happy with the service. It does what I need it to.