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To busy to ring but will write to you!!!

Story from nhs.uk

"To busy to ring but will write to you!!!"

About: Middlestown

I have had quite a few problems with this practice for the past 5 years since moving into Flockton, from not being able to see a practice GP, always having to book with a locum or registrar doctor, therefore not being able to create a relationship with a practice GP, to confusion with blood test results, to rude administration staff. They have a phone vetting process where you tell the receptionist all your personal symptoms and then a GP or nurse calls you to see if they can fit you in for an appointment.

Recently more confusion, I rang the surgery Friday 13th October asking if a particular doctor could ring me regarding some women's issues I have.

I explained I had seen a doctor on the 4th October about my bloods results but had some women's issues which I was confused about and would like to talk to a particular GP for more information and clarification as the women's issues have worsened since seeing the other GP on the 4th.

The receptionist said they would get the said GP to ring me on Monday.

Monday came no phone call so I rang at 2.30pm to be told that the said GP has written me a letter with my blood results, OK confused, I already have my blood results I wanted to discuss some women's issues I had.

So after a discussion with the receptionist they said a GP would ring me today, I then asked to speak to the practice manager as I wasn't happy with the service.

They then read out the letter I should be receiving apparently within the letter the GP states they are too busy to ring me and is sending a letter with my blood results, which I already have!

Surely within the time it took the GP to dictate the letter on their dictation machine it would have been less time just ringing and talking to me!

After speaking to the practice manager and telling them my personal women's issues I then got a phone call from the said GP who did not seem happy to talk to me I could tell with their tone of voice I was able to discuss and schedule a couple of tests to investigate further.

The phone call lasted less than 5 minutes I think dictating the letter would have took longer. I clearly stated on Friday that I would like to speak to a GP about some women's issues but instead this was interpreted as me wanting blood results which I already have.

I find it all very confusing and frustrating and then when I tried to book the tests which the GP recommended I was told the next available appointments were 2 weeks away, I said I wanted them sooner and wouldn’t mind them being on separate days to which one of them is a week away and the other initially I was being told I would have to wait a week and half but then after explaining I have uncomfortable symptoms was told to come in on the 18th October.

This is what it is like to talk ring or make an appointment at this surgery.

The service is poor and I have complained before and will continue to do so. And I am sure you will continue to deliver poor slow service and make excuses about my complaint.

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Responses

Response from Middlestown 6 years ago
Middlestown

Submitted on 06/11/2017 at 10:38
Published on nhs.uk on 27/11/2017 at 15:32

Thank you for your comment which were disappointing to read as the GP concerned I felt that I was addressing your needs as rapidly and effectively as possible. I was not working on Friday the 13th and received a message to ring you on Monday the 16th. I anticipated that I would be busy on 16 of October because I was on call all day and so decided that I would write a letter addressing the concerns which were raised to me. Without repeating the full content of the letter I said "I've taken the liberty to write to you because it is likely that I will not be able to speak to you for a few days because of work commitments." I then added my review and recommendations. At the end of the letter I advised "please do not hesitate to get in touch if you require further information." To put into context I would be away from the practice on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday so felt that this was the best way of ensuring that my views were transmitted to you promptly. I did not take any time on 16 October to write the letter because I actually wrote it at the end of surgery on Saturday the 14th. I was working fairly non-stop throughout Monday and was correct in my anticipation that I would not have time to ring you on Monday, certainly not before you rang the practice.

It was not my intention to send you your results but merely comment upon the result as I saw them. I note that you requested a follow-up telephone consultation on the 16th to discuss your problems. I rang you 28 minutes after the request was made and the consultation is recorded as having lasted 6 minutes. I was polite but apologise if you felt that I was unhappy to talk to you. I have tried very hard to address your concerns and to do so as rapidly as possible, whilst being at the same time alert to the needs of my patients. Anything which is non-urgent does run the risk of being deferred. I trust that you can understand that I did try to respond to your concerns as they were laid out to me rapidly and effectively. I'm sorry that you have had to wait for your subsequent investigations, but this also shows that we are very busy. I notice that you have been offered an appointment in two days. I trust that this meets with your satisfaction and I am sorry on behalf of practice if it does not.

Overall the feedback we have from patients is good. We addressed your concerns rapidly and arranged further investigation rapidly too. I am sure you can understand why we cannot immediately respond to every telephone request and the reason behind the planned response?

Finally you state that we deliver poor and slow service: we refute this. We have never made excuses about our service although we have offered explanatory comments as we have done here. I am disappointed that you feel that the practice does not come up to your standards, and would refer you to the CQC report on the practice for an independent review which reported the practice as “good” in all areas, and in line with other practices locally.

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