"Woefully incompetent and unconcerned"

Every single contact with this GP surgery is a battle. A battle to be heard, to be taken seriously, to get an appointment, to have your notes read accurately... The list goes on.

I have been talked to as if I was utterly lacking in intelligence by a doctor who had to have me explain 6 times that she was talking about a different medication to the one I was discussing, despite her reading out the notes of my last appointment.

I have made numerous complaints that are still unresolved regarding 'Care Navigators' failing to even once read my triage notes correctly or bother to notice the comment that is flagged up on my notes every time they go to book an appointment.

I have had 111 calls where out-of-hours GPs have written to my GP with requests / recommendations only to wait a week for that to be followed up, hear nothing, call and then be told I could book in an appointment in three weeks time to discuss something that should already have led to a course of action.

I have had GPs and 'Care Navigators' pretend that the reason for the lack of appointments over the next three weeks (despite it being flagged by other departments as a crisis) was due to the fact that they wanted to maintain continuity of care – even though I had already spoken to half a dozen different doctors about the exact same issue numerous times in the month before because they no longer have time for you to see a regular GP the rest of the time.

I have had emergency teams request my GP make an urgent appointment only to be told I could see the doctor in two and a half weeks.

There are countless more stories like this, particularly since the most recent changes to how appointments can be made now that long-term conditions are not being managed and continuity of care is no longer possible.

But the worst part is that the more patient and polite you are, the less noticed, listened to or respected you seem to be. It's as though to ask for help now and seek medical support is to be a nuisance to those working at this surgery. And as though every ailment can simply be treated by a 'wait and see' approach or a 'one size fits all' prescription without even the barest hint of humanity, empathy or understanding.