Wollongong Medical Centre 237-241 Crown Street, Wollongong, New South Wales 2500

"It seems the only way to contact this centre is to leave a bad review and I am totally happy to do so, after attempting to call for the last 2 weeks. Yes I understand the centre is busier than usual etc but I have spent hours on hold, spending my whole day with this on loudspeaker, hoping someone would answer as I need to make an appointment. But now I am going to ask my GP to refer me somewhere else, that actually answers the phone in a timely manner. Yes it says you can book online but you see I have been referred to a specialist that unfortunately works there."

"Not one for leaving bad reviews but absolutely must in this case. I had a doctor from this medical centre prescribe an ultrasound for my ankle. I Called Wollongong medical a few days after checking in to see if my results had arrived. Told by the receptionist that they couldn’t verify and I’d have to book an appointment with the doctor directly to check if the results were in. However the receptionist got extremely frustrated with me when I asked the simple question of why I needed to book an appointment just to find out if the results were in because if the results weren’t in, I’d still be paying for the appointment. She then somehow agreed to have the doctor call me when he received the results. A few days later, I got a call from the doctor who didn’t seem to know why he was calling me, only that he’d been asked to call me. I reminded him that he probably called to let me know if my results had come in. He acted surprised but then acknowledged that he could see that they had come in. I mentioned to him that the ultrasound operator told me during the test that they couldn’t see much during the test to which he said “it would certainly appear that way, yes”. The phone call lasted less than 60 seconds and I received a bill from the surgery. I was quite surprised and upon calling the surgery was told that the doctor had booked 12 minutes as the consult time. I asked if the charges could be reversed because I was not told that this would be an appointment and the fact that my preference was to see the doctor in person as this was an ankle injury. I was told that there was nothing the surgery could do as the doctor had chosen to charge me and provided me with an email address to complain to. The doctor had also flown overseas for a month and I wasn’t able to book an in person appointment. I have no issues with paying the fees had I been told prior but to be surprised with them without been given the option for a further discussion is quite unfair. Hoping for a representative to get in touch with me."

"Unfortunately not a positive review at all. I visited the clinic on behalf of my extremely ill and elderly dad who is a patient there - goodness only knows why -as his GP talked over me and didn't listen to what information I needed to take to the Dental Clinic. He rudely dismissed me from his room without providing the paperwork and publicly humiliated me within the waiting area. Furthermore, in the past when sharing some specific medical concerns about my dad, the doctor replied 'it has nothing to do with me'. I was dumbfounded by such an uncaring and unprofessional attitude. I will not be returning to the clinic."

"My Dr is excellent but impossible to reach due to ridiculous understaffing of reception staff. The practice has a voice over which incessantly states, "we are continuing to assist other callers but please hold and you will be answered shortly." This is untrue. They don't necessarily answer. Any connection is arbitrary. Today, I started waiting at 4.45pm and I'm still waiting an hour later. They don't even indicate when the centre is closed, but the voiceover says, "we are experiencing longer than normal wait times due to the current situation." This is a pathetic excuse to cut costs. Doctors pay heavily for their space in these centres but management cuts costs and prevents them from running their practice efficiently and with dignity. Management must EMPLOY more receptionists to ANSWER PHONES."

"Wife had an appointment with a Dr for 2 injections as we are travelling OS. Dr goes Oh we have to book it in because we have to order the vaccines in DER what did she turn up to do doc! She had to pay the full cost ie $30 out of pocket for NO INJECTIONS because they could not organise and then rebook for the same thing. Doc goes u will have to see me again before the nurse can administer the injections so another $30 for something they stuffed up. WE r not seen as a patient anymore we are simply cash cows for those poor Greedy drs who have more than doubled their wages in the last year."