"hard work "

i, as i have previously done in the past contacted the surgery with a request to speak to a doctor just before new year. i did this via a econsult.

i specifically requested for a call from a doctor not a text or email

a few hours after doing this i received a text saying that i would be contacted on the morning of 13th January which is over 2 weeks from the time i did the econult. ok so over 2 weeks to even speak to someone - which seems to have become the norm since covid. I have no choice , like the rest of plympton to just accept this and wait patiently.

the week before i was due the call I called and spoke to a receptionist who told me i would definitely be getting a call on the morning of the 13th.

so, when the 13th arrived - since there is no specific time given as to when the doctor would call ie no timed appointment- again like we did before covid.

i walked around with my phone glued to my side. i took it everywhere with me , to the toilet , outside , in the shower !

i also could not drive anywhere as i do not have hands free in my car.

sonbasically my hole day was dedicated to getting this call.

the afternoon came and it got to about 2:30 so i thought i would call to see what was going on.

when i got through i was caller number 20 !

i stayed on the line till i got to caller number 2 and lone behold the call cut off!

i then decided to call again and i

was now caller number 10.

i eventually got through and spoke to a lady who told me that the doctors do not guarantee a call and i could receive a email or text , i told her that i spoke to someone the week prior and he told me that i would definitely get a call in the morning.

she then told me that the doctor had emailed me at 11:48 and she could see that i was told that i was told by the receptionist that i would receive a call and she did not know why i received a email.

so after giving you all of that information, let me tell you how it makes you feel,

after waiting over 2 weeks to speak someone about a horrible problem that effects your life. you become so desperate to speak to a doctor and you count down the days until they are supposed to call and offer sympathy/support.

you take your phone everywhere willing it to ring just so you can get what’s bothering off your chest and then you are told that the doctor has sent you a email !!

It’s absolutely crazy. I have no idea what is going through the minds of the people who are in charge in this surgery.

there was once a time when the doctors and staff worked for the patients , now it feels like the the doctors and staff just work for their own convenience.

you could fix so many problems in your surgery , if you just bite the bullet and bring back face to face appointments with a fixed time.

private surgery’s can do it , dentists can do it.

why can’t you??

i am certainly not the only one who feels this way.

please bring back proper face to face appointments.

as soon as you do i can guarantee it would solve a lot of your issues !