Hastings Old Town Surgery - Hastings

James B.

I am extremely disappointed with the service at Hastings Old Town Surgery. After receiving a high blood pressure reading from an NHS nurse, I was advised to see a doctor. However, the surgery refused to offer a GP appointment for this, leaving me with no choice but to pay for a private consultation.

The refusal to provide GP appointments was shocking and raises serious concerns about patient care. If you have concerns about your health, be prepared for long delays, lack of support, and potentially having to seek private care instead.

I would strongly urge others to consider these issues before relying on this practice for important health matters.

Clare M.

I’ve been with them over 40 years and have never experienced such arrogance, self importance and disrespect as I do now, they are supposed to be a service to us, after all we pay their wages! It took me a month to get an appointment only to be told (by the hospital) I have stage 3 Colorectal Cancer. That was the final straw and have now moved, I should have done it years ago. Totally disgusted with them.

LindaB

I'm surprised at the low score for this group of surgeries. I can only speak from our own experience which is very positive. Yes it's a long wait to get through but it's the same everywhere and just how it is now. Luckily I can use the online service which is very useful. Our Mother is 89, and every member of staff, GPs and nurses have been so helpful and kind to her, and they deal with any concerns with care and respect. It gives us peace of mind and we're grateful to them.

Amy K.

I’m writing this review to warn others this GP surgery (Warrior Sq.) unlawfully denies patients their Right to Choose, which is a legal entitlement under NHS regulations.

There is 1 excellent GP at this practice whom I see regularly & who has been incredibly helpful. However, the administration & the treatment I’ve received from some staff, particularly one receptionist, have been appalling. While many receptionists are friendly & professional, others have been outright rude, creating an unpleasant & stressful experience for patients.

Denial of My Right to Choose – Unlawful & Unjustified: I was referred by my GP for a much-needed assessment. The NHS waiting list for this service was excessively long (6 years), so after 2 years of waiting I found another NHS-accredited provider that could offer the same assessment within 2–3 months, I exercised my Right to Choose—a legal right that allows patients to select an alternative provider.

Despite my legal entitlement, the practice flat-out refused my request without any valid reason or a written explanation & without reading supporting documents included. Instead, they provided a series of contradictory & nonsensical excuses over the phone, none of which were supported by any policy. When I asked for a written policy, they failed to provide one. Obviously they hadn’t even read the information that I included about the NHS provider which confirmed they were accredited, they receive regular assessments by the QCC, they don’t charge & they can prescribe medication

The practice also doesn’t offer “shared care” which most specialist consultants require. They’re legally allowed to refuse shared care arrangements, but they must provide a valid reason—which they didn’t. Their refusal contradicts my existing care, where I already receive shared care with them across multiple medical services

Inconsistent & False Justifications:

Throughout this ordeal, I did everything I could to make the process easy for them—I provided all necessary forms, links, & information. They refused. Here are some of the false & inconsistent excuses they gave me:
1. “The provider must be accredited.”
• The provider is accredited, regulated by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and rated Good to Outstanding.
2. “The provider doesn’t prescribe medication.”
• The provider does prescribe medication.
3. “The provider isn’t on our list of local providers.”
• When I asked for a copy of this list or the policy stating that I must choose from it, they couldn’t provide either. Instead, they sent me a generic help document from the ICB, which wasn’t an actual policy.
• I checked the listed providers myself—they were private services, & some didn’t even prescribe medication.

Breaking the Law – Ignoring NHS Regulations

This surgery’s refusal isn’t just poor practice—it’s unlawful. The NHS Choice Framework clearly outlines when & how patients can exercise their Right to Choose. The legal basis for this right is set out under:

Part 8 of the National Health Service Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups (Responsibilities and Standing Rules) Regulations 2012.

By denying my right, this surgery is breaking the law. I’ve had to escalate complaints to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) & the Integrated Care Board (ICB) to hold them accountable.

The Consequences of Their Actions

While I’ve been fighting this, the waiting list at the alternative NHS provider I found has increased from 2–3 months to 5-8 months in just a few weeks. Their unlawful refusal has delayed my treatment & caused unnecessary stress.

Think Carefully Before Registering

I’d previously given this practice a 5-star rating based on the excellent GP I see. However, due to this serious, unlawful behavior, I’ve had to change my rating to 1 star.

If you’re considering registering at this surgery, think very carefully—especially if you ever need to exercise your Right to Choose. The administration has proven they are willing to ignore patient rights & NHS law, & that’s deeply concerning.

David C.

I found it impossible to get a consulation. I phoned a few seconds after the lines opened and the message was that there are no appointments. The online 'Engage and Consult' system is the same. I've tried many times and have the same messages each time. I'm faced with going to a hospital emmergency unit for something the surgery should have been able to do in a minute.

Robert H.

Not sure on the doctors and nurses that run this place as I've never got to meet any of them or speak to anyone
there since i moved down last April. Have been trying to get an appointment for sometime but no matter what time i ring, I get a recorded message just saying the phone lines are closed due to high demand try later.

lee S.

Only been registered since April have had nothing but trouble with them. They can't be bothered to call i sent a message and the admin sent a reply with a number to call not good enough I have had to chase all my appointments. My ankles have swelled more but my gp told me to go to a and e 02 august and they said the doctor should be dealing with this . Went to see a doctor 16th September she didn't even bother to look at my ankles take blood pressure she done absolutely nothing and was quite rude talking down to me like a 12 year old. I have lots of medical conditions and cancer and they obviously don't check my records.
I am changing surgeries hopefully I will be shown some respect dignity and care . Lee Shaw .

Kristina

Perhaps there are good GPs there, but I never had the chance to find out because it’s impossible to get through to them (and I tried for several weeks). Even when I dropped by in person at 8:44, there were no appointments left. I don’t understand how that’s possible, considering they start working at 8:30. On top of that, they’ve removed the queue number system, so now it’s impossible to even estimate how long you’ll have to wait.