East Barnwell Health Centre cambridge

Lovely friendly staff. Drs are always helpful

I have lived locally for 18 years and have always found the doctors helpful and competent. There's a good range of additional services such as an osteopath and the triage system is very effective . There is a local pharmacy just outside the surgery. The only negative is that I've never managed to get through the automatic appointment system .

Some of the Doctors are good, others are bad (feeling rushed at an appointment when you have more than one problem to explain because they need to keep their 10 mins target is not good at all), however I think this health centre is very good (the best I tried in my 8 years in the UK). They have a triage system which I love as I get to explain my problem directly to the Doctor over the phone, so then the Doctor can decide if I need an urgent appointment or if I don't need to come at all (because I may need just a prescription for a condition I have/know already). This saves times both to them and I as I can go directly after work to collect my prescription. The secretaries working there are usually polite and helpful. I really like this surgery, well done to the Team!

Automated appointments system is unnecessarily complex. Reception shuts at lunch time when patients would find it convenient to contact. Overall impression that the systems and processes are there for their own convenience rather than patient focused.

On my recent visit I had more than one ailment to discuss having waited for over 2 weeks for a general appointment. I was told I should have made a double appointment. This upset me greatly. As a hard working TAX payer I am being penalized and find it difficult to access the service. There was no selection on the automated service for a double appointment.

I had only good experience with them. Really appreciate everything what they have done. Thank you 😊

Just moved to this GP, Lauren the receptionist was really friendly and helpful!

Worse service I had ever. Waiting for over 1.5 years now for someone to see me (infection) and they still prescribe antibiotics even if I don`t need any. None of the doctors are interested to help even. I will carry on with complaints till someone will be willing to sort out the matter and next step is Health Service Ombudsman or going to legal. Barnwell Health Centre is not an option if you need a GP (full stop).

Even at my very mature age, so far I have seldom needed medical help. What I DON'T need is being spoken to in what a distinguished gerontologist has described as "kindergarten patois". For the past 5 years since moving to Cambridge, the three doctors I have consulted - in some cases sadly taking up their time asking for the permission required for me to take eye and hearing tests outside the practice - have all been great. They have taken the necessary action, offered genuinely helpful advice and, best of all, credited me with a brain! The problem - let's call it patronisation - lies with some receptionists (not all, I'm pleased to say) who speak to me as though I'm half-witted, as did a number of the staff on duty at the Covid vaccination sessions. I didn't need the baby talk or being addressed in a sweet, sugary voice as "darling", "sweetheart", etc! Sorry to be stroppy, but I might not be the only one who finds this behaviour extremely annoying.

I am writing this review because I am always very happy with the experience I have with their team. Every person who picked up my phone call was always and at any time very nice and helpful. Phone is always picked up very quickly and I always get the appointment in no time. I have also my blood test on every two weeks and as most of other people I am not a fan of it but I can say in this practice I had the best experience of them all. The nurses always take care that is done very professionally so the experience is not unpleasant at all. I always walk away very impressed. All the staff is very friendly, caring and always with beautiful smiles on their faces and I always feel very welcome there. They always ensure that I am property informed about my health and care. Also they make sure for their and patient safety during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their work truly is extraordinary. I would also like to say that the doctors there are incredible. They are very understanding and they listens to your concerns. The really take time with the patient to help them with their health issues. I would like to say that I really appreciate all the work this practice is doing and there is no words to express how much this means to me and to many other patients that their team is taking care for them every day. I definitely recommend this Helath centre!