Havens Health / Meridian Surgery

Despite there being an issue with the online system with me being unable to access their web page and e consult, I had to call as need a new prescription for blood thinners.
I was Rowe Avenue patient and could still see on their web page that I had to make an appointment for repeat of this medication which I haven't needed to do before.
Mandy on reception was amazing and arranged for my prescription and as my husband had the same problem with online, she referred his prescription request to the Doctor.
Sounded a lovely lady and nothing seemed too much trouble

My daughter works for a GP practise so it is difficult for her to call and get her blood and stool results. She tried calling today and was on hold for one hour, she wanted to complete e consult but couldn't as was told the page was not available. She contacted myself who tried accessing the app which is also not available. Why so many problems with this surgery. I was with Rowe Surgery for nearly 30 years and never experienced such ridiculous problems.

Despite the teething struggles of joining 2 surgeries together, coronavirus & difficulty nationally with finding GP’s because of the government, they have been more than helpful with my problems. A lot of information was requested from another source about me. It was emailed to me promptly but, the email was too big to forward. A quick note dropped off at the surgery & they sent it direct to where it needed to be. The e consult form is fab & have had calls back when needed. All surgeries have good & bad but, on the whole, I would highly recommend this surgery

I needed an emergency appointment on Monday - I rang all day Monday and Tuesday... phone constantly engaged - eventually went down to the surgery only to be told that they can only take appointments by phone ..... except that the phone never gets answered!!

I have just seen that all my meds need to be reviewed the doctor told me she had done this but she only did it for one item ,DR wont do it now have to phone POD and they are closed. this surgery is a joke can't get through to DR.

After over 100 phone calls to sort a repeat prescription I finally had it on my last day of supply, despite trying for 2 weeks

I’ve spent the entire day trying to actually talk to an actual person so that I could book and urgent appointment it took over 200 calls, I was on hold for half an hour twice and then just cut off, finally got through at half 1 to be told that I have to ring back at 2 as the appointment lone was closed. Tried again from 2 until half 3 and after another half an hour on hold was told that there was no more appointments or phone consultations left!! I gave up at this point and have registered at Quayside Surgery in Newhaven…… they were amazing and so helpful.

Takes an unreasonable amount of time to get an answer from reception. The answer to a request for an appointment is always “emergency on the day only” then it’s “no appointments available try tomorrow “ this goes on for days/weeks. Reception staff let you know that you are a nuisance but they are very stressed. This is not new-it’s been this way for about the last 2 years, but Covid has obviously made it worse. I have used the consult 3 times and always had a phone call within 24 hrs. But the firm doesn’t allow you just to request a conversation with Dr-you have to have a condition/symptoms. I feel that the surgery are not spending enough of their NHS funding on staff (reception) or more technology. They have too many patients for staff available. We are really made to feel unimportant which is wrong. When you do get to see staff they are very good.

I fully understand the pressure that the reception staff are under but I feel their attitude is poor and not particularly helpful.
I have stood in front of them, close to tears, trying to get an appointment for my husband, who has serious heart condition but have been told that there are no appointments.
When I phone Stanford Medical centre (Brighton) for my father in law, they are helpful, polite, professional and empathetic. Would it not be a good idea for some sort of mentoring/shadowing of a practice like this to provide good practice training????

I spent nearly 1 month of daily calling sometimes over 1 hour to speak to someone to be told ring back after 2pm then long queues all appointments gone phone back in the morning. I tried the online booking but because my symptoms were pins and needles it said to call 111. Useless is putting it nicely I ended up going private which I shouldn't have to do. So not a good experience. It has got worse since the two surgery's merged, and because of Covid you can not walk into to beat the phone lines and book an appointment