Durham Road Medical Group edinburgh

Dreadful service. Appear to only offer telephone appointments now. Unhelpful reception staff, all in all I’d say look elsewhere. I did.

Dreadful service, (not the receptionist fault) 20mins to try get through then told emergency appointments only, cant book an appointment for next day or next week!!, got to try phoning tomorrow! Iv got a job! Need to change the way they operate!!

Edit - Shortly after posting the below comment I got an email from Durham Road Medical Group to tell me they are installing new lines which would allow the below in a couple of weeks. I've just called and they are still not been installed ... this is 7 months later after posting the original comment ... Ridiculous how you have to keep calling back when the line is engaged. Surely you have a system where the patient can be kept on hold until the next staff member is free?

Very helpful and supportive surgery. Very glad I signed up here.

attentive staff

Effectively, most people registered here will not be able to access this service that we pay for. The appointment 'protocol' of having to phone at 8 am in the morning is the reason. On each of three days I telephoned bang on 8 and dialled on two devices 20 times each without success. I telephoned back at 0945 to see if i could have an appointment perhaps a week later (my condition can tolerate the delay) but they don't have any. Essentially, they do not offer a service but a telephone lottery. I asked for the complaints procedure - and got the name of the practice manager. I asked if she receives complaints about this and the receptionist 'all the time' - no use complaining then?? A huge change since Dr O'Neil who ran a more efficient patient centred practice.

Durham Road Medical Group is the worst medical practice I have ever known. I often ponder…that if I were to take a plane, boat, taxi, bus, donkey ride then walk miles across the Sahara desert through some third world war torn countries, I’d probably still see a doctor sooner than if I were to wait for one at Durham Road Surgery. The appointment based system means you must call at 8am on the dot only to be placed in a queue somewhere around the 18th position. During the wait you are subjected to listen to the highly irritable voice recording of a harsh Irish woman who gives out covid information which is not only impossible to understand but is also unbearable. When you eventually get to 1st place you come in front of the most strictest of receptionists known to man. To say they rule with an iron fist would be an understatement. Rumours have it, the receptionists have been handpicked from within the Kremlin itself and are blessed to have their very own professional medical qualifications. The receptionists will often use their medical expertise to diagnose your problem and decide whether or not you should speak with a sacred doctor. If your condition isn’t serious enough the receptionists will provide a response of/similar to “there’s no appointments left” or “call back tomorrow”. Sometimes the highly skilled receptionists are so skilled that they can determine your condition without even asking what’s wrong or taking down your name! One bad occasion a receptionist provided me with a rather confusing response of “call back on the day” to which I replied “that’s exactly why I’m calling TODAY” On another unfortunate occasion I crawled to the surgery after having slipped a disc in my lower back. The pain was excruciating and I probably should have dialled 999 but fortunately was passing the surgery at the material time. When I arrived at the surgery I was met with a receptionist who amazingly, within seconds, was able to diagnose my condition and give me her very own professional medical advice..”Awwk yer fine hen, ma son does that aw the time. What are ya like eh!” After being reassured by that highly skilled receptionist, I crawled home and nearly died. Sometime later I arrived at A&E. On the rare occasion when you are fortunate enough to get past the harsh Irish woman, 40 minute telephone wait, militant yet highly skilled receptionist you should eventually be able to speak with a doctor via the telephone or in person at a time of your absolute inconvenience. This part of the experience is usually fine. The doctors are very knowledgeable especially with the helping hand of The Oxford Textbook of Medicine which allows them to diagnose the problem and select magical potions which will hopefully make you feel slightly better.

Rudest reception staff. Almost impossible getting an appointment. Phoned today for an appointment and instead of it going through to their receptionists it redirected me to NHS 24. Sat on hold for an hour😂👌

Phoned to arrange phone call appointment. Told the only way to make an appointment is call back at 8am. This isnt possible for myself. So now I have to arrange for someone else to phone and make an appointment for me. When I asked rhetorically what if I worked night shift she laughed and replied " well I can't help you there". I didn't realise not being able to phone your doctor's at a certain time was a laughing matter.

I have always found the staff very helpful especially Paula the receptionist she takes time to explain how the surgery works. Always has a smile and very welcoming. Dr Anna McCavana is an amazing doctor. She is professional and takes her time to treat you. I am so impressed with her skills, she makes you feel you are safe in her hands and she treats you with respect and kindness. Very happy with the service I get from this surgery.