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"Why I avoid the surgery like the plague..."

About: Romney House Surgery

So I rang up a while back and was treated with excellent care by the staff over the phone, I had requested to see a female doctor or nurse and was told there were none in on that day and to ring back tomorrow. Because of the way I was spoke to I was absolutely fine with waiting the extra day as it was a Monday and hadn’t needed the appoint until Sunday. So an extra day wasn’t a worry. I wasn’t asked about the condition. When I rang back the next day I felt massively uncomfortable. It was a different person and when I asked to see a female I wasn’t treated the same, they weren’t rude but her tone changed and it felt as though I was being a nuisance all because I wanted to see a female about a personal issue, she wasn’t friendly over the phone and I felt uncomfortable throughout the entire phone call, I was then also told I wasn’t allowed to request to see a nurse, which contradicted what I was told the day before. She also didn’t ask what the problem was. After all this I had to talk to my male doctor to get an appointment with a female, I understand that they are all professional and this is protocol but doesn’t it defeat my object of seeing a female if I have to first tell the issue to a male? The conversation with my doctor was uncomfortable because of the issue, especially as he knew I requested to see a female but he was very pleasant and friendly. I again understand this is protocol but it again made me feel very uncomfortable. When I was at the surgery I again felt uncomfortable because of the phone conversation, I wasn’t made to feel welcome and the moment I got there I started getting palpitations. I don’t like the doctors at the best of times but to be made to feel completely unwelcome and, almost petty, wasn’t fair. The overall experience wasn’t friendly. Even once I was in seeing the female I had requested, there was no conversation about it, it was just let me see the issue, I understand they don’t have all the time in the world but there was still information I felt I needed to get across but I wasn’t asked about what was happening. If it hasn’t come across through all this I’m fairly anxious and I wasn’t going to start talking after she had asked to see. I obviously hadn’t told my male doctor everything because I was trying to keep that conversation as short as possible, I barely know my doctor and have only actually seen him once for myself, so going to see him about a personal issue wasn’t something I wanted to happen, I understand doctors move surgeries all the time but I barely know anyone there and so when requesting to see a female, who I knew and have seen a fair few times, I thought it should’ve been easier, considering it was a personal issue. I understand that there are several regulations a surgery has to follow and I was happy to go along but throughout the entire experience, especially over the phone, I was made to feel very unwelcome.

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Responses

Response from Romney House Surgery 4 years ago
Romney House Surgery
Submitted on 06/08/2019 at 13:42
Published on nhs.uk at 14:07


I am sorry that you feel you were made unwelcome at the surgery.

I am pleased that you feel you received excellent care over the telephone when you first made contact with the surgery.

However, I am disappointed that you didn’t receive the same level of care when you telephoned back the following day.

Our system within the surgery only allows the telephonists to book a triage call with your named GP.

We do have a female GP within the practice and I am happy that you were able to see her in this instance.

I am sorry you felt uncomfortable once you arrived at the surgery and this led you to experience health problems.

If we have a room available we are more than happy for you to wait away from the waiting room to avoid any distress you may be feeling.

If you are happy to provide your contact details by calling the surgery on 01666 502303 we would be happy to look into the clinical matter further.

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