"Nothing has changed!"

Unfortunately since my last review 18 months ago nothing has changed! The practice manager called me after my last review and was lovely and she’s actually witnessed this one receptionist being vile to me on the telephone, but as I work frontline in the NHS I know that nothing will be done unless you murder someone! It is not that often I need to contact the GP but every time I do it’s a constant battle (and it has been since before Covid) and I don’t think they realise how stressful it is for the patient.

I’ve been booking telephone consultations over the past twelve months and you book a ten minute slot with a named doctor. As per usual I had an appointment at 8.20am yesterday and my phone call was at 10.30am when I’m trying to scan patients at work in the hospital. The last time I booked an 8.20am appointment with this GP I rang the surgery at 8.45am as I was standing outside work waiting for the call, to be told he doesn’t start until 9am and they’re still booking him appointments from 8.20am! I’ve sometimes had the call 3 hours after the appointment time even though the confirmation specifically stated you WILL receive the call at this time, but when I’ve queried this with the surgery they just said it can be at any time. If that’s the case why book ten minute slots, why not just say you’ll get a call sometime during that day?

As nothing has changed over the past two and a half years I’ve now contacted another practice who hopefully will show that they care about their patients and treat them respectfully and courteously right from the top down. I know we all have off days and it is hard in the NHS on a daily basis but this practice do not have the correct people or skill set to be a welcoming, caring GP practice who’s practice should be patient centred. Sadly.