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Disappointed with Care for My Children

Story from nhs.uk

"Disappointed with Care for My Children"

About: Bordesley Green Surgery

This happened today (13th June 2025), and I’m very disappointed with the way Bordesley Green Surgery handled my request.

I called to book a GP appointment for my two daughters, who have a severe skin rash. The receptionist told me to go to the pharmacy first and try to get medication from there. Only if that didn’t work, I could call back and then they would send me an online link where I’d need to describe the symptoms before they would consider booking a doctor’s appointment.

I explained that I’m not a doctor — and neither is the pharmacist. How can I choose the right treatment without proper medical advice? I felt like they were trying to avoid their responsibility rather than help.

This kind of approach, especially when dealing with children’s health, is unacceptable. Delaying proper medical care can make the condition worse. I expected more support from a GP surgery.

I hope the practice reconsiders how it treats patients and improves its service.

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Responses

Response from Bordesley Green Surgery 2 weeks ago
Bordesley Green Surgery

Submitted on 17/06/2025 at 15:15
Published on nhs.uk at 15:15

Dear Mr Taqat

Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback on Google and NHS Choices. We value all feedback and are committed to providing the best possible care and service to our patients.

I have reviewed the telephone call you made to our practice on Friday afternoon, during which you requested appointments for your "two daughters" regarding a "skin problem," rather than a "severe skin rash" as mentioned in your review. When our receptionist asked for more details, you stated, "I don’t know, I do not speak too much English, that’s why I am telling you skin problem."

As you stated that you hadn’t tried anything, our receptionist advised you to contact the pharmacy, as the NHS Pharmacy First service allows pharmacists to assess and treat common conditions, providing prescription medications when necessary, without needing to see a GP. Additionally, you were offered the option to send photos of the skin condition for further action by a GP. This approach is taken by dermatologists, who often request images before deciding if a face-to-face appointment is necessary or if the issue can be managed virtually. This is a common practice aimed at providing timely and efficient care.

You mentioned that "pharmacists are not doctors." While this is true, pharmacists are highly trained healthcare professionals with specialised knowledge of medications. They play a crucial role in medication management, providing advice on safe and effective drug use, and can even prescribe certain medications under specific circumstances.

Based on my understanding, the correct advice and information were provided to you for how you described the issue. Since this call, there have been no further attempts to contact us, NHS 111, or the out-of-hours service, or other healthcare provider. It is a shame that you instead felt the need to write (proficiently) this review.

We are dedicated to ensuring that our patients receive the care and support they need. If you would like to discuss this matter further, please do not hesitate to contact the practice directly. We are here to help and address any concerns you may have.

Thank you for your understanding.

Kind regards,

Nusrat Sajjad

Practice Manager

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