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Frustrating to deal with

Story from nhs.uk

"Frustrating to deal with "

About: Lindfield Medical Centre

Having dealt with this surgery since 1983 I have never been so frustrated and unable to feel supported as I have in the last 4 months.

My son is a high level tetraplegic and as his mother I have needed advice and support for his many issues. I find the Triage system totally unsuitable for me and him to use. The response, should I have the temerity to ring the surgery, is slow and awkward at the reception end. I remain polite at all times; I find the staff off hand and unwilling to actually let a Doctor speak to me or my son. I have had a meeting with the head of the surgery but the promises made have not been kept. I have not got the time to fill out a Triage form after 8am in the morning and my son is physically unable to fill out a triage form. I now note that I don't have access to a triage form at the weekend despite me needing an urgent referral for a chest Xray after a life threatening incident at 4am Sunday morning.

I spend most of my time dealing directly with a much more helpful hospital system often via 111 or 999! Where are the GPs, who we used to be able to get at a message to and a response from, about 12 months ago?

I feel frustrated and totally unsupported.

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Responses

Response from Lindfield Medical Centre last month
Lindfield Medical Centre

Submitted on 28/04/2025 at 14:06
Published on nhs.uk at 14:07

Dear Judith.

Thank you for your feedback. We sincerely apologise for the frustration you have experienced when trying to access GP care for your son. Please be assured that we take all concerns about our service very seriously.

In September 2024, we moved to a Total Triage system to ensure that patients receive the right care at the right time. Under this system, all appointment requests are reviewed by a GP, who will arrange an appointment based on clinical need.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer this service at weekends when the medical centre is closed. In such cases, we advise patients in urgent need to contact NHS 111, call 999, or attend their nearest A&E department.

Wherever possible, we encourage patients to complete their own online appointment request form, as it allows for more detailed and private information sharing. However, if you are unable to complete the form yourself, our Reception team will be happy to assist you.

Thank you again for your feedback, which helps us to improve the service we offer.

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