Crawford Medical - Howick

We made an appointment today in the morning, arriving on time, still had to wait for AN HOUR before being able to see the doctor, which almost made me late for work. If you can’t be on time, what’s the point of an appointment? For other patients who plan to visit here, be aware the risk of waiting for hours.

Great centre with doctors who are very attentive and give you as much time is needed. I always leave feeling listened to and although it is a bit more expensive than some they provide high quality of care. Our family all go here. Reception staff have always been helpful. The nurses are angels, very caring and lovely people.

Utterly disgusted with the service of our house dr. I am an antivaxer by choice but with all the mandatory requirements and force that goes with the covid vaccine I decided to take my family for this. My boy got sick like really sick. Phoned and left a message for the Dr because she couldn't see him. 2 days later still waiting for her phone call. This isn't the first time and Like they say dr bury their mistakes. Luckily I took my so to Halmoon bay Marine and he is fine now thanks to the the caring dr. Crawford Medical Howick will never see me again. They are beyond useless.

9.12 am, tried calling since 9 am to let them know Im outside in my car, and the voice keep saying they are still closed. That is why Im going to a diffent medical centre, Crawford is NOT what it was, it's disgusting to say the least.

Just got off the phone with a lady that was rude over the phone and not trying her best to help a mother in need, looking for a pediatrician and asked her, she said we don't see children, I asked in awe, so you don't see children at all? She said okay bye and hung up. I understand if you don't see children but atleast help a first time mum out or try to by helping her find someone. Rude receptionist. Thanks for nothing

I have been having bad experiences with Crawford Medical since September last year, I am extremely disappointed as their service is getting worse and worse each time I go or phone up. Staff there are just clueless or rude. Such a bummer because I used to rate them so high. Today, I tried booking flu vaccination for my son who has had flu vaccinations in the past years. The receptionist said I can't book the appointment as my son needs to see a doctor first as this is his first time. I explained to her he has had it in the past years, so it is not his first time. She then became very rude and impatient and said "oh I have to get the nurse to call you, this is just too complicated, okay bye" and hung up on me. If this is already too complicated for her, how is she going to deal with other patients?

This is last week: My 80 year old neighbour needed a covid swab done as he had a major operation this week. I agreed to take him up to Crawford as he doesn't have a cell phone and the strict instructions were not to get out of the car but to call into reception. As Friday was fully packed for swabs, we were advised to simply turn up on Saturday and call in as swabs on Saturday are organised on a first come first serve basis and not by appointments. Anyways, long story short, we were on the telephone on Saturday morning at 9:03 am and no one seemed to answer the phone. At 9:40, I advised my neighbour to mask up and check at the front desk; where he was told that the doctor was busy. It was apparent they were under resourced on Saturday morning. We were instructed we would be 5th in the queue but they could not give an estimated time. As I had volunteered to take my neighbour and I had to be elsewhere at 10 am I had to call in and reschedule my own appointment. We ended up going to Llyod Elsmore Park where they have a swab and it took us less than five minutes to get this completed. In all of this, for older patients that need swabs or whatever the case and if they do not have a mobile phone, it is unfair for these older folks not to come and announce their car numbers at reception/ front desk so that they can be attended to accordingly. Today: As the normal doctor who sees me was away, I made an appointment with another doctor to see me a week ago. He had not included one of the blood tests I had requested and the personnel at Lab Test advised me they would take the bloods but the doctor needs to update the form at his end. I called into reception at around 8:10 to advise them what Lab Test had said - that the doctor needs to update the forms at his end. Obviously there is a small window for this form to be updated and as the Doctor that saw me was not in, reception wanted to leave an email message for him. I asked for me normal GP who was back and they said they would leave an email for him. I just wanted to verify all this again and summarise what was agreed with reception. It seems very clear that the reception had thought I needed a form for blood test and they would get the GP to email it over. I reiterated that I was not after a blood test form but that the doctor needs to include one of the tests that was overlooked and there is a very small window of time (perhaps half a day) for this to happen as the blood sample was with Lab Test. I asked her what the procedure would be in this case. She repeated that she would leave a note for the doctor and told me three times she needs to get off the phone. It is obvious that reception has to complete calls in X amount of minutes per call and are monitored. As a summary I did tell her if this test is not included I would need to have another set of bloods and this would be the final straw for me in leaving Crawford and looking for a new GP.

After 2 weeks of Covid, no sign of symptoms subsiding but in fact my chest tightening and coughing like crazy, decided to go to the Saturday walk in clinic. Tried multiple times from 9am to call but no answer. Arrived at Crawford at 10am and dutifully stood outside as still no joy on the phone from my car. Only to be rudely told by the receptionist that the manager had said no more patients for today. Locked the door in my face. This was after waiting outside and trying to call for 20-30 mins as instructed by their sign. Sadly it appears that the caring nature of Crawford has made way for convenience and rude, impatient responses. Love my GP here but thinking twice about going back to Crawford. Poor old gentleman before me was rushed and told they were ‘full’ but when the receptionist finally listened to him, all he wanted was a prescription. I know there are staff shortages and medical practices are busy but surely a bit of patience and kindness isn’t too much to ask. Don’t advertise and offer walk in services from 9 to 12 if you can’t deliver! Left there feeling frustrated and more sick.