Beacon Medical Group Reviews

This is an appalling organization. I tried to book a routine medical appointment for something the NHS had written to me asking me to do. I tried phoning about 7 times and was always in a queue of 9-17 people. I went into the surgery and it was chaos. I waited for ages just to be told that they couldn’t book the appointment now and I had to come back another day. The management is completely incompetent, and that makes life tough on the staff who have to deal with angry and frustrated patients. They are supercilious and treat their customers with distain and disrespect. When someone called me to resolve the situation she tried to flip the blame onto me and decided that she couldn’t investigate the complaint I’d made because I didn’t scurry off and find the exact day that I’d tried to phone. Sadly I’ve tried to phone on many days and it’s always the same. Trying to blame shift onto your customers is the kind of distain I would expect. Sadly, those who live here are stuck with them. There are no other options

The staff at Radiology Reception were excellent and very supportive of all their patients. Their kindness to all was outstanding. The staff in Radiology are exceptional.The Porters are a very kind to all patients, especially to those requiring special assistance. The MRI staff were exceptional. it was great to observe how they all staff dealt compassionately and very effectively with an emergency case. The staff apologised to all waiting patients and reassured all, that the waiting period would be minimised. They offered blankets and assistance during the short time. Thanks to all - Patrick A

THE worst “drs” I have EVER encountered in my life!!!!!! ABSOLUTELY USELESS!!!! Denying patients medical care is merely the beginning!!!!!!!!

Beacon medical have always provided excellent care. When needed I receive a prompt response and appointment. For less urgent appointments I am seen within 2 weeks. I am very grateful to all the staff for their continued care, help and support.

I waited 10 days to be contacted via phone after filling out an e-consult for my daughter. But I didn't receive a phone call. I got a text message instead which said I should see a pharmacist; I clearly stated in my e-consult that we had been seeing our pharmacist for 3 months and the pharmacist told us that my daughter needs to see a doctor as her condition was getting worse. Or course, you can not reply to the text message, so I phoned the surgery. After 25 minutes on hold and only getting to 10th in the queue, I gave up.

Only recently joined this practice and I cannot speak more highly of them. Had a couple of hiccups with prescriptions but this is my fault and an inability to sort out the various apps I had from my previous practice. I have signed up to AirMidUK app which I hope will sort things out. Have had one health issue which was diagnosed promptly and referred to Derriford. A great GP surgery.

My husband has been denied life saving medication because he was due a review even though he saw his doctor for the first time in 11 months having had open heart surgery! His doctor is a very lovely person whose expertise actually detected the serious condition. However, what is the point, if he can’t get the medication he needs to stay alive? We have been trying to get a repeat prescription for the past four weeks - we are now approaching Christmas and running out of medication! Last Christmas, my husband ended up in hospital for Christmas for life saving heart surgery - what was the point? Now, he’ll be dead this Christmas because he can’t get his medication! Have these people any idea the stress their incompetence causes? In desperation, I have been waiting since 6 o’clock this evening for help from 111. It is now 12.40. Beacon Medical Group is an utter disgrace and you have served a gentle, hardworking man whom I proud to have been with since we were 14 years old, very badly! Shame on you all! I am at my wits end! I am SO tired of having to fight SO hard for everything both my husband and I have worked for.

I had previously ordered my meds prior to running out but last week they weren’t ready however I had enough to take me to yesterday when I was due to collect the prescription. I then had to take my daughter back to uni because her train was cancelled so couldn’t collect my prescription from Wotter. Today I went into Glenside to see if they could help in any way as my prescription was at Wotter and not open until Thursday now. The receptionist was really helpful, reordered and said it would be ready by the end of the day. Less than an hour later I got a text message to say it was ready. Ready good group trying their best whilst implementing a new system. Well done Beacon. 🙌

Everything they txt me to say prescription ready it's nit even done when I get there then they tell me to come back later and when I come back wait for at least an hour while they stand talking to each other and people waiting to be served so slow and poor customer service

Been a patient at Mossley Hill since 1982, that was the days of Dr. Coleman and a young Dr. Singh. Always easy to get an appointment and happy with the service, how times change. Today I called and spoke to a "Health Coordinator named Dillon. Advised him I wanted an appointment to see a Doctor as seven weeks ago, the Doctor sent me to the Royal. I was admitted with Kidney Stones and had a Stent fitted to help me pass Urine. The Surgeon advised me the stent would be removed after 7 weeks, as I haven't heard and am now passing Blood in my Urine, I rang the Surgery. I was told, "Ring back tomorrow at 8am". I explained my situation and told, go to A+E. I explained the waiting times at A+E and to see a Doctor, I could once again go through the SAU Unit, avoiding the misery of A+E. Unfortunately I could not get any satisfaction (again) from the unqualified telephone staff.

What an awful service. It is impossible to get an appointment. They refuse to give me a face-to-face and can only offer a telephone call when I am at work and cannot provide a specific time. When I called they expected me to take a morning off work to be able to take this call! All I was asking for was a timed appointment either telephone or face to face but this was not possible. They have promised things via email which has not been upheld, lied to me about mistakes they have made and there is absolutely no customer service. I have now registered elsewhere

ZERO ZERO ZERO Don't bother with these individuals, they are not doctors, GPs or whatever they choose to call themselves, they have no care, no empathy, clearly just a business making as much money as possible, with as little effort as they can. They should be broken down into smaller manageable practices. You won't ever see a doctor, they'd rather send you to a crippling A&E before physically putting themselves out. In 3 years I never ever met my GP, who told me if I didn't like how they manage their patients to fond myself somewhere else! They refused to treat my knee problem, after waiting a year it's so bad I have stage 4 osteoarthritis and need a replacement. They misdiagnosed another issue, too busy being disinterested and prescribing the wrong medication I ended up having to have investigations for cancer due to their negligence, and still not sorted. They prescribe incorrect meds or forget to prescribe, all stress all anxiety... do they actually care NO!! Complaints, complaints, complaints responded to by another faceless name, claiming she is it when it comes to complaints escalation... LIES as they have a director hiding in the wings who pops out when it really is negligence to try and mitigate. Still waiting after 2 months to see what changes they've made, and actions to those complaints... more excuses, more swerving the real issues... STAY WELL CLEAR OF THIS PLACE IS MY SUGGESTION AND RECOMMENDATION

I was sent by my GP for a hearing test. Beacon gave me hearing aid which just blocked my ears and made things worse. After 10 months of going back, they managed to make adjustments which made my hearing a tiny bit better. My advise is don't bother with them and get a hearing aid from Amazon... better, cheaper and less sitting waiting for pointless appointments.

Trying to get an appointment at this surgery for my daughter. Always told we will call you back. After a week phoned again and told they were aware of this and will phone back today. One week later. My daughter is in a terrible state both physically and mentally and getting worse. On line is no better. The doctor's seem very helpful when you can get to see one. We are desperate for help and they know this. Terrible service. If you can get help anywhere else don't bother.

Having waited 5 weeks for an urgent appointment for ENT at local health centre. Although mentioned all the symptoms but adiagnosed half of the issues. . Only found out when received a copy of the letter to my GP with no mention of my most troublesome issue. Phoned their office to see if I could speak to the same doctor and get feedback on the issue. I never received call back as promised. What I received was a referral to hospital with 12 weeks waiting time.

Avoid wasting your time with this particular surgery. The moment you call them, you're subjected to a seemingly endless 10-minute list of options that ultimately lead nowhere. Reception, if you manage to reach them, is staffed by individuals whose arrogance and rudeness surpass any encountered in the realm of customer service. Furthermore, if you encounter any issue necessitating attention from a doctor, you're required to complete one of their subpar "e-consult" forms online. This online system is in dire need of a thorough review, as it stands out as the most ineffective and poorly designed system I've encountered to date. Coming from an IT background with extensive experience in numerous applications, I find its shortcomings particularly glaring which is unacceptable when needed by individuals seeking medical attention. Compounding the frustration, access to this form is limited to a window between 8am and 12pm. The system inexplicably "closes" for lunch between 12pm and 2pm, only to reopen from 2pm to 4pm. The notion of an online form closing for lunch raises questions, especially considering the digital nature of the platform. Unfortunately, my work commitments prevent me from utilizing this form during its operational hours, and even during my lunch break, typically between 12pm and 2pm, I remain unable to complete this cumbersome process. Because of the above, I am unable to address a simple matter such as discussing blood test results from a week ago with a doctor. The sole method of securing an appointment seems to be this inconvenient online form. Bottom line is, if you encounter any health issue during working hours and are unable to fill out the form, your options are severely limited. Astonishingly, the receptionist, despite being present on the phones, refuses to assist in booking appointments, leaving me perplexed about their role. My concern extends to elderly users or those less tech-savvy who may struggle with this system. My advice: seek medical assistance elsewhere at the earliest opportunity, get better on your own or accept fate and pass away... receptionists would probably still ask you to fill out an online form with your last few breaths (make sure its not while the online form is on its lunch break though, that would be rude of you)

Husband tripped last evening but did not fall. However he thinks he pulled a muscle in his leg but his calf has swollen to double the size, is hard to the touch and he can hardly walk with pain. Despite ibuprofen and paracetamol,pain is worse today. Rang surgery today. After listening to 2 minutes of info which is repetitive and warning people not to be aggressive or abusive etc etc, then came a message 'your call is important to us, please hold blah blah blah. This message was repeated every 12 seconds, along with the irritating 'music' and 'we are experiencing a high level of call'. Was not told what number in the queue. Have they stopped telling you now? Husband got fed up with waiting, I dropped him up to Mudge Way surgery. Waiting rooms empty, neither receptionist was busy. Husband was told he could not see a doctor, there was no mention of a doctor giving him a call back, and he should go to Cumberland or A&E in case he had broken his leg! Receptionist did not even ask his name or dob. He is 80. He left in disgust. What on earth is going on here? No wonder Cumberland and A&E are so crowded when you cannot even talk to your GP let alone see one. Since when have receptionists been given powers to diagnose?

Where do you start? Been a patient for 25 years and now run out of patience. Left the practice and gone elsewhere. Good luck getting an appointment. Good luck seeing any form of practitioner. Been once in 5 years. Since Beacon took over its gone to rot. Still Good doctors, you just can't see one. The centre is about money. Forget it being a service to the Community. The reception is abrasive and intolerant. Probably understaffed. Good luck getting through in the morning. Good luck getting an appointment. The surgery requires an ombudsman overhaul from top to bottom and requires a whole new management structure.

Received a text to call Beacon re an ultrasound of my shoulder. I was no 7 in the queue Friday 4/8/23 also left my name and number for a call back this did not happen. Called at 9.05 am 7/8/23 answer machine on saying the offices are closed. Called again at 9.10 same message. Called again at 9.30 after 34 mins call was answered i was cut off mid conversation while trying to book an appointment and was not called back despite passing data protection with all my details. Not sure what to do to get an appointment. Really poor service

Really disappointed with Beacon Medical Group. Overall I feel they just do not deliver a quality service for their patients. We have had a recent telephone call to discuss my mother’s medications, but they telephoned my brother and he suggested I needed to be spoken to, as I manage most of my mum’s medical stuff. My mum is in a home. She is 97 in two weeks time and has both Dementia and Altzeimers. Tonight at 7.30 pm I had a phone call to book “an appointment” to discuss her medication. The first date they could offer me was 14th August. They refused to give a time. They refused even to say am or pm. So how can this possibly be called “ an appointment”. So am I supposed to stay in the house, sit by my phone ALL DAY until it is convenient for the doctor to telephone? I think this is totally unreasonable. I understand that doctors have an important job to do. I understand that they are under pressure. However, other people have important jobs and have important things to do in their lives and are also sometimes under pressure. This is not the first time I have had concerns about the way the Beacon Medical Group works. I could write a long list of niggles and complaints. I used to live in Ivybridge and was a patient at the Ivybridge surgery. However since being part of the much larger “Beacon Group” I feel its service has really gone downhill. So sad. My mum is going to have to move soon because her home is closing. If I knew she would be staying in Ivybridge I would start looking into to moving her to a different medical practice. One very unhappy “customer”. Please note this is not a complaint about the individual doctors, who I am sure do the best they can. Rather one about the way in which the Beacon group seems to operate. You just do not feel “ valued” or even “ understood” when you speak to them about your concerns.