Ship Street Surgery - East Grinstead

Rachael M.

Managed to request an appointment online and was seen the next day.
Dr Cook was on time, very thorough and made the necessary referral at the appointment.
Extremely pleased with the service that I've received and it seems that they are trying very hard to improve the appointment system.

Nicky H.

Ship street surgery refused to implement what had been agreed with the consultant I saw and went out of their way to make what should have been a simple, routine, procedure as difficult, unpleasant and stressful as possible. It was impossible to get an appointment to discuss what was happening with anyone or contact them in any way.
Absolutely no concern for care or the patient, just in making the maximum amount of money. Truly awful.

Rachael P.

If I could have given zero stars I would have done. there is something drastically wrong with this surgery and Modality Sussex needs to really handle why this surgery runs so poorly with patient communication or better still whoever is above Modality Sussex needs to realise this team of individuals are destroying / have destroyed our an NHS doctors surgery. I dread any time I call this surgery as it can often end with a receptionist communicating in somewhat of a stoping type of unhelpful monotone manner, therefore refusal to show any remote sense of care, nor full focused intention to help when speaking to a patient. My experience today was absolutely awful and the receptionist / practice manager really didn’t need to be so very rude due to their own lack competence and inability to show some bare average level of care needed to be part of an administration team at a GP surgery. This surgery never used to be like this some time ago. Even a pharmacist stated to me the dread of ship street surgery to me.

JPAP

UPDATED 18.10.24
I've had to visit and call Ship Street twice in 1 week because of my son and the reception team have been wonderful. As you can see I've had really bad experiences in the past but they have all been friendly, polite and patient. It doesn't take a lot but it really does make a difference.
The 3 stars however are for the fact that at 09:05, just 5 minutes after the opening of online medical requests, today, they were closed again due to high demand.
I was with a GP yesterday, in a room for my son and he confirmed I had conjunctivitis yet said he couldn't prescribe anything because the appointment wasn't for me. It's absolute madness, a few clicks and I'd have my prescription. The GP said to go to a Pharmacy and they can prescribe it for me, so I did and they said they can't and to go back to the GP 😭
So I've had a diagnosis but I can't get the medication to help make me better 😔
UPDATED REVIEW
In response to 'Patient Experience Team' I wouldn't have even had to call if Ship Street hadn't sent me a text about an appointment I didn't make! When I did finally get through I was told 'i dunno why you got that text because it's for the same thing you've already got an appointment for'.

On another note I had to call again today and your lines were closed at a time they were not meant to be. I spoke Tracey who would not let me speak, and shouted over me. Absolutely awful, I'm glad Tracey has training today. It's needed!

I wish I could leave Ship Street and go to another surgery but sadly there's not places anywhere else. I dread every time I need to call and sadly I've had to register my son here too.

Wait times on the phone are ridiculous I only called following a text from the GP that had no information, this led me to confusion so I called. I have a newborn so can't be on hold for ages. Although I stayed on hold for 20 minutes for the call to be dropped. I called back and was further back than my 20 minures already waited so I hung up.
Why don't you have an email service where patients can send queries? This will free up the lines for those who don't have digital skills and for those who do can get their queries sent quickly!
It's so disappointing that Ship Street is getting worse, not better 😔

Mr D.

One cannot deny the vast improvement seen at Ship St Surgery over the course of the past 12 months.
I have not had a missed prescription, I have received timely support without exception upon making a polite request and by following the protocols laid out by the Surgery. I have a stubborn and longstanding issue and the level of support and care I have received from a number of GPs has been excellent. The Paramedic Practitioners do a great job of providing swift support especially to those unable to get into the Surgery. I met the most recent GP to be recruited to Ship St as I understand it and they were excellent. I haven’t come across a better Practice Manager. Always gives you time and doesn’t simply jump to the defence of the practice should you raise as issue.
When you call, outside of the early morning rush, your call is answered in a timely manner. When you call during the rush, you will be advised whether or not there are any appointments available. You are told how many patients are ahead of you and you are given the option to receive a callback. Most surgeries have the exact same issue. GP Surgeries used to offer appointments days ahead at best. Then there was the introduction of same day appointments for Emergencies only. Receptionists, often times, finding it difficult to refuse appointments, began to let routine appointments slip through the net. Which has led us to where we are; believing we are entitled to a same day appointment whatever the issue. If Surgeries held firm and refused requests that didn’t meet a set of ‘Emergency Appointments’ strict criteria, everyone would grumble. They have tried to accommodate everyone and perhaps in doing so have shot themselves in the foot.
If you try to look for some positives instead of looking for holes, maybe you might just see more good in what they are doing. If you haven’t noticed improvement in the last year, I suspect Ship St are not the only victim of your criticism.

Shelley W.

1* for courteous receptionist and doctor, but nothing resolved. Had appt today to discuss my angina attack yesterday which left me on the verge of unconsciousness and vomiting and severe back pains and breathlessness. A passerby called an ambulance. They did ECG, blood pressure and gave me an Aspirin to chew. Got home and doc called with appt for today. Doc said I needed a blood test for thyroid etc, and a further appt for my other issues, severe back pain, angina, breathlessness. Receptionist said no appts available, go online to Modality. Tried this, not available. Called Judges Close Surgery 10.30am on the dot as they told me, still no appts available. PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO GET AN APPT BEFORE I DROP DEAD. Dr Bodski even wrote down a note for receptionist to tell her to give me an appt, but nothing available. I've tried the website, tried calling at exact times they give me ..... it's hopeless. As I said before, maybe a doctor will be available some time to write my death certificate! And contacting "Patient Review" .... you can't, and no response ... waste of time

Rebecca M.

I very rarely leave reviews. I called today to try and get an appointment for my 10 year old son as per school advice (nothing serious just a cold) I was told by the receptionist that " everyone was at lunch" and the they had "no appointments anyway" and that I should take my son "to hospital " she then proceeded to tell me "that the
doctor would've probably sent my son to the hospital anyway " I am unsure why a receptionist would be qualified to diagnose this especially as not even seeing my son. I then took him to the Queen Vic where the staff were wonderful, I was told by some of the hospital staff that modality are sending people to the hospital when they really need to see a doctor.

Surely this has to improve.
.

SP C.

Quite possibly the rudest least helpful or caring staff on the planet, please Modality hurry up and go away you have destroyed this practice (Which used to be good, by the way)

Thanks for the reply, but its a hard no as a total waste of time, I had one of your patronising and factually incorrect cut and paste replies previously. If you lot really cared you'd change professions and hand this over to someone remotely competent, instead of just wasting taxpayers money to provide zero service.