"Telephone system needs reviewing"

After coming out of Hospital following a heart attack I was getting dizzy spells I thought that I had worked out the problem was one of the medications had been prescribed by the hospital incorrectly in that it should have been half the amount on the packet.

On leaving the hospital I was told that my doctor would oversee my medication from that point.

So I called the surgery to speak to a doctor to get it confirmed but every time I got through on the phone the recorded message said to call back later which was done many times after this when finally I did get in the que and it would take about an hour to get from ten to position one.

When I actually spoke to the receptionist I was told all the appointments had all gone and to try again after lunch.

On doing so after lunch I had the same results this went on for five days and I was at my wits end.

My sister tried for me for a couple of days the following week with the same results but finally she was told to ask me to do an online consult.

I did this and it instructed me to call 111 which I did and on explaining to them the situation so they dispatched an ambulance!

When the ambulance arrived I explained the situation with my meds.

The crew said I need to contact my doctors.

I then explained that it had been going on over a week now of trying to do this with no luck.

The ambulance lady said she would try but she had the same issue and said you are right it’s impossible to get through to them.

The crew agreed with me about the medication and said they could not do anything and it needed to be clarified by a doctor so they wanted to take me to A & E.

I refused this because I considered it was a total waste of resources and they agreed to a friend taking me.

Which he did and it all got sorted out by the hospital doctors.

What a waste of an ambulance & crew they should have been out saving lives not having to cover for a poor service from the surgery.

This was a very stressful time for me which was not good after just coming out of hospital.

I think the phone and appointment system is a total shambles, I feel for the older people with more urgent problems and think that something needs to be done.