"Unprofessional, blame the patient attitude!"

I had just joined the surgery and gone through the procedure of ID. I was accepted and wanted firstly, a repeat prescription. I could do this on line-OK. But then when it came to picking it up-the surgery did not hold prescriptions. However, no one told me that! There was no information on line either (I assumed it would offer similar services as my last surgery). When I went along to collect my repeat prescription the receptionist said it will go to your nominated chemist-I didn’t know this either. Consequently no prescription. Did the receptionist try to help, offer a suggestion? No! I had to ask for a way forward because they had sent it to a chemist 24 miles away, my old home. The receptionist as much as said it was my fault!

The second - incident was after one of the nurses arranged a telephone appointment with a doctor to go over some results, for 9am on a particular day-as I work part time. The doctor phoned at 11am on that day and I could not answer, as I was working. I rang the surgery and spoke to a receptionist. Telling her the events leading up and the following missed call from the doctor. She then proceeded to tell me off for making the appointment - she said the practice does not give specific telephone appointments-and the tone was very accusatory - I had to tell her that she should have apologised for the misunderstanding, rather than telling me off for something I was not responsible for! After all it was the practice nurse that made the appointment! She did then apologise!

The receptionist, at lease the few I have spoken to and have asked for their service, do not seem to understand that ‘we’ (the patients) have paid for the NHS and a doctors’ surgery is part of what we pay for, even if we are all experiencing COVID restrictions! Personally, I have been contributing to the NHS for well over 50 years!

The receptionists seem to be very incompetent and try to displace their ineptitude by deflecting - it’s the patient’s fault-when the patient is new- this behaviour is particularly unbelievable!

A professional would apologise for the mistake and sort out a quick remedy so the patient is not left having to try and sort something out-suggest other remedies!

In this case I never got to discuss my test results with a doctor or anyone-for that matter.