Sunday, March 20, 2011

Doctors surgery

Has anyone else had problems getting an appt: ie without being phoned or fobbed off, asked by the non qualified receptionist whats wrong with you etc etc?



Posted by Anonymous to swanageview at 20/3/11 11:13 AM
Posted by at
Labels:

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yes yes yes yes yes and so rude too!

20/3/11 1:58 pm
Anonymous said...

Yes I agree too.

A course in public relations would not go amiss.

You would have thought that they could be aware that when you phone up you are quite often in a vulnerable frame of mine and the last thing you need is to be treated to their insensibility.

20/3/11 6:23 pm
Anonymous said...

Sorry, but personally, I've never had anything but caring, courteous service.

20/3/11 9:39 pm
Anonymous said...

Not, alas, the universal experience.

20/3/11 10:33 pm
Anonymous said...

Yes!
Last time was last week - I was told I would have to wait two weeks to see my own GP, had to take a phone call from the on call GP, who then booked me to see another on call GP who hadn't even thought to read my notes before I got there !! Which I found odd as I have complex issues!!
James B

21/3/11 9:42 am
Anonymous said...

Suggest a formal complaint to the PCT would do the trick. You shouldnt pay taxes just for people to be rude or give you bad service...

21/3/11 5:41 pm
Anonymous said...

I had a letter from hospital was told to see my doctor after a few days and give him said letter which he would read and act accordingly. Not good enough the very rude receptionist told me a doctor had to phone and discuss my symptoms then would decide if i needed an appt: obviously she is more qualified than the hospital consultant. When i refused to dicuss my illnes and symptoms with her she became very rude. And dont bother with the practice manager he is an odious little man.

22/3/11 8:40 am
Tumshie said...

"the practice manager he is an odious little man" - bit over the top surely.

22/3/11 6:52 pm
Anonymous said...

"the practice manager he is an odious little man" - bit over the top surely.

no not really try dealing with him. if he is that nice surely his staff would be better trained.

22/3/11 8:43 pm
Anonymous said...

The system to make an appointment is for the convenience of the staff and doctors not the users. I do feel the we should be put first. Is this appointment system something the local Doctors dreamed up?

What other business could treat there customers in this way. There is one surgery in Swanage so you can not just move Doctor.
You're stuck

22/3/11 10:20 pm
Anonymous said...

From the Swanage Medical Centre website - how to book an appointment. Maybe a number of patients don't need to travel to the centre to be diagnosed. Many will of course.

"Our trained receptionists are here to help you and they will ask you for brief details of your condition when you telephone so they can record them for the attention of your doctor. This is to ensure that we can assist you as speedily and professionally as possible and allow the doctors to decide, in urgent cases, who to call first. If you feel you are unable to give your reason for seeing a doctor, simply ask the receptionist to tell the doctor you have 'personal issues'.

(For your peace of mind the practice receptionists are covered by the NHS and practice codes of confidentiality, just the same as all the health care professionals at the surgery.)

The receptionist will take your name and telephone number and the doctor will call you to discuss the problem and agree a course of action. This may be an appointment with your doctor, an appointment with a specialist nurse, direct referral to a hospital specialist or more likely a diagnostic test ie, blood test, urine test, x-ray, ultrasound etc or self-care advice."

I see that you can also make complaints.

23/3/11 6:32 pm
Anonymous said...

Our trained receptionists are here to help you and they will ask you for brief details of your condition when you telephone so they can record them for the attention of your doctor. This is to ensure that we can assist you as speedily and professionally as possible and allow the doctors to decide

So they are medically trained then? I beleive one of them was working in an estate agent till a year or so ago (alledgedly) If you are in a queue do you want the person behind you to hear what is being said? Also why does the doctor say and "what can I do for you", surley he should have known if he was informed of your illness.

The doctor DOES not allways call on time 30 mins late last week people had called in for a cuppa when he called. Last year the highly trained receptionist got most upset when I said I could not take a call due to the fact I was going to be driving and the phone would be on blue tooth great if you want your friends to hear.
I was also told if you said "personal reasons" the recp: would only ask once, like hell they do they badge and harange you till you tell them.

For your peace of mind the practice receptionists are covered by the NHS and practice codes of confidentiality, just the same as all the health care professionals at the surgery.)

That is a laugh my condition and my letter of complaint were discussed in a public house in town I even complained about that.

The place is a farce and until a patient dies it will stay the same.

Like one of the posters said we cant go anywhere else!

23/3/11 6:50 pm
Anonymous said...

What we need is another practice to open - a little competition !

23/3/11 11:40 pm
Anonymous said...

'From the Swanage Medical Centre website - how to book an appointment. Maybe a number of patients don't need to travel to the centre to be diagnosed. Many will of course.'

This seems bit like the Big Society and Localism approach, we do it ourselves. Diagnosis over the phone !! How crazy is this. I'm pleased that someone else has raised this. It is unsatisfactory.

I really don't know what has gone wrong over the past few years.

There seems to be far more people working at the Health Centre but the system of booking an appointment and getting to see a Doctor has become unacceptable, like everything else it seems to have become too beaurocratic and complicated. By the time you get to see a doctor, you could be dead !! All people need is something simple. To be able to pick up the phone, to have one number to dial for Swanage Health Centre appointments and to be able to be given an appointment.

How difficult can that be?

I don't think the population of Swanage has increased hugely in the past few years, so what has happened.

How do the elderly cope with this,every time one of my children is ill, I go into a deep panic, knowing that I have no idea what is going to happen.

Please can we return to a straighforward system of booking an appointment to see a doctor.

24/3/11 9:23 am
Anonymous said...

I had a severe asthma attack and my inhaler had no effect. I rang up to try and get an emergency appointment and I was told that either I would have to wait until the afternoon for a call from the doctor to arrange a (possible) appointment or to wait over 2 weeks to see my own doctor.
When I tried to explain my situation the receptionist immediately went on the defensive and dismissive path, I was told "If you can't breathe then phone an ambulance." and that was the end of that.

I went up to the hospital and was told to see my doctor so they went ahead and booked for an emergency appointment and I was still left waiting around, hardly able to breathe, for a phone call only to be told that yes I definitely DID need an appointment and to come in at once.

Normally I wouldn't mind waiting but in that case I needed immediate help and couldn't wait around and when I did seek out the help at a hospital I was fobbed off to the surgery who had told me to go to the hospital or call an ambulance in the first place.

After I had finally seen the doctor and received help so I could actually breathe and not feel close to blacking out I was then given a very patronizing speech from the receptionist who told me I should have just allowed her to book the telephone consultation and saved myself the trouble and she was very short asking me for details like name, address etc. not taking into account that I was still breathless and woozy and acting like I was either deaf or deliberately being difficult and ignoring her.

6/5/11 12:36 pm

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)