"Needs Serious Improvement in Patient Care and…"

I am writing about a specific, ongoing experience supporting my elderly mother as a patient at this GP practice, particularly over the past two years. She suffers from arthritis and has been experiencing severe pain in her leg, yet getting proper medical attention has been consistently difficult and distressing.

Booking appointments is always a struggle. Even when we manage to get one, there is often a lack of follow-up or continuity in her care. On one occasion, she was in significant pain and I had to press the doctors to investigate the cause. An X-ray was eventually arranged, but we received no communication afterwards — just a text message saying no issue was found. There was no appointment to discuss the results or the next steps.

After more follow-up on my part, an ultrasound was eventually arranged, but this process was also unnecessarily complicated. I called the GP three times and was told each time that I needed to contact the hospital myself to book it. I called the hospital, who informed me that the GP needed to send the referral directly. I called the GP practice again, and they claimed it had already been booked. Wanting to confirm before taking my elderly mother to the hospital, I called again on the day and was told by the receptionist that no appointment was visible on their system. This was extremely frustrating, as I had travelled from another city to support her. Later that same day, I called again and was told—without any apology or explanation—that the appointment had been made after all, apparently by someone at the practice that day.

Even after the ultrasound, which showed fluid in her knee, there was no clear follow-up plan or treatment offered. I’ve had to call repeatedly just to get updates or push for action, and I often feel dismissed or not taken seriously by staff over the phone.

Another concerning incident happened after my mother was finally seen by a doctor in person. The doctor visibly saw how badly bruised her leg was and how much pain she was in. She was told she would be sent to the hospital the same day. She had come with a neighbour who was helping her and was asked to wait at the practice. She waited over an hour, only to be told in the end that no one was available to assist her and that she would receive a call the next day instead. She left in pain and was unable to sleep that night due to the discomfort. It wasn’t until the following day, when I travelled to see her, that I was able to take her to the hospital myself.

The lack of communication, coordination, and compassion has made it incredibly difficult to manage my mother’s health and has caused significant emotional and physical distress. I am sharing this detailed and specific experience in the hope that improvements can be made, especially for elderly and vulnerable patients who rely heavily on this service.