Bassett Road Surgery - Leighton Buzzard

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So, I gotta say, my recent trip to them was a total letdown. I mean, it’s clear some folks there are trying to do their thing, but overall, the vibe is just off. With about 65 people working there and 45 being admin staff, you’ve gotta wonder what’s going on.
There are only ten doctors on deck, and honestly, it feels like the rest of the crew is more about the paperwork than helping patients. I ran into some serious attitude from the non-medical folks, which is just wild. They need to remember that they’re here for us—the patients! We’re the ones who keep the lights on, right?
If we want this healthcare scene to actually work, we really need to shake things up.Right now, it feels like we're throwing our hard-earned cash into a system that’s just not cutting it, and that’s super frustrating.Long story short, while some people are genuinely trying, the whole setup and attitude need a serious overhaul.

Richard

I have been a patient at Basset Road Surgery for 40 years, and while the doctors continue to provide excellent care, the receptionists and secretaries have become increasingly rude, dismissive, and entitled. They show a distinct lack of compassion, often failing to answer the phone and displaying unprofessional attitudes when they do. If you try to complain, expect the standard tag lines like "Excuse me, sir" or "I was trying to explain," which do nothing to address the real issues. This is a significant departure from the supportive environment I once experienced, and it undermines the good work of the doctors. It is disappointing to see such a decline in service from the administrative staff, making it difficult to recommend the surgery as highly as I once did.

Nic M.

I was so impressed with the rapid and efficient response I received to my problem. Letter written and sent by kind secretary who took the time to listen and get my referral progressed. Thank you

Frida S.

The management of this clinic seems to be lacking, presumably under government control, and the front desk service is abysmal. My prescription has been lost, and I've been waiting over a week for a doctor's note that the doctor assured me would be a quick print job. When I inquired about the delay, the receptionist's response was dismissive, suggesting that the doctor isn't aware of their workload and implying that my situation isn't urgent. It's frustrating that a receptionist would contradict a medical professional's assessment of urgency.
Additionally, the receptionist's remark about the country being "overpopulated" strikes me as inappropriate, especially given the circumstances. It feels insensitive, especially when coupled with the lost prescription issue. I find it concerning that they seem to lack empathy for the urgency of medical matters.
Considering the substantial taxes we pay, it's disheartening to encounter such inefficiency and lack of accountability. While I understand that it's not solely the receptionist's fault, the overall management and training of staff clearly need improvement. Losing important documents like medical prescriptions should not be brushed off, and blaming the patients for the clinic's shortcomings is unacceptable. The government or clinic manager should invest in better training or consider hiring younger, more competent staff to ensure that the public's healthcare needs are met efficiently and respectfully.

Gemma

Last visit I had to wait 45 mins past my appointment time before seeing the doctor, which made my condition worse. Now waiting 8 days for a fit note that should have been received within 3 days. Chased up via eConsult after the deadline (as was stated I should) - 8 days later I am still being ignored. More I could say but in addition to being unwell, I am now extremely worried that I will not be paid.

Karen D.

During the last 2 months I have found out that I have 9 DNA (did not arrive) on my name yet not one of them is true.

Due to severe OCD I can't accept post so for the last 5 years the mutual rule is that all appointments must be made by telephone Call from the department to me after 2PM. I didn't receive one single phone call.

Most of these are with the gynaecology department but DiRe ChristopherLongstaff made a lot of them up himself and didn't utter a word about them.

Christopher Longstaff from Bassett Road surgery in Leighton Buzzard is 100% responsible for all of these. Every time I think I've got all of the evidence I need to go against him, more turns up, and as for charging ~~~~~ I'm still going for 50 grand (including all the rest of the narcy bad and evil stuff that he has done 'behind my back').

Tsu P.

I would like to say thank you to Andy, the receptionist and Dr Grama. Andy is lovely and patiently listens to my problem and grants me the emergency appointment. Yes, grant me, not quite remember how I can get an appointment to see a doctor, the females receptionist will never got you anything and seems very busy, they’ll still get you an appointment but normally three to four weeks after! Annoyingly that’s the soonest no matter you told them need an emergency, same day etc. Dr Grama finally prescribed me a painkillers which I can just woke up 2 times instead of three or four in almost 4 years since. If you’ve struggled to sleep till the dawn comes, you’ll know what it feels. Thank you so much

David P.

Update Oct 23. In the last year this practice has gone from bad to worse. With a 2 week old baby we have struggled to get an appointment for a terrible skin complaint she has apart from "they can see you in a week". After filling in forms to speed things up it went slower and trying to ring in an afternoon was impossible because they deliberately switch off the phones to a "sorry, we are super busy" voice mail. A truly atrocious service from our NHS. This is how our money is being spent and we should be livid about it.

We have struggled for over 2 years to get reliable and timely service from this practice. Repeat prescriptions work fine, but only because it is online and virtually no touch for them. Need to visit a GP? No appointments. Need a phone call from a GP? 5 week wait. Have an allotted time with a GP for a call? Really just means anytime that day. GP does not call? Get a text to say they had and a try and rebook through their system, see 5 week wait. From my old doctors in the North East, who you could ring and get seen the same day and a proper friendly patient focused practice, this service has been a shocking look into the realities of a Southern based surgery and how they treat their customers. We give up, but what is the answer? Corona has been taxing for us all, but two years in it's not a reason anymore, its a poor and lazy excuse.