"Terrible Customer Service"

Complaint #1

I requested the details of the practice manager when I last visited the surgery on 28 March and was given your contact details on Wednesday at 3:15pm. I was told by the receptionist that there would be no-one there after 3pm and to call again in the morning. I called anyway to be greeted by the automated messaging system which did not allow me to leave a message or my contact details.

I called again on Thursday morning at around 11am and after several attempts got through to the automated message again, but it would not transfer me to a receptionist or to yourself. When I tried calling again, maybe after 1pm, the message said that the surgery was now closed!

I again attempted to call at 8:30am yesterday, 3 April and between 8:30 and 9:00am the phone was permanently, continuously and perpetually engaged. According to my phone I had tried 46 times to call in 30minutes.

I tried calling again once I had restored some patience and called again at 11:02am. This time it took 25 separate phone calls to get through to someone after which we spoke initially.

Should it take more than 71 attempted phone calls and three days to get through to someone to discuss my complaints or even to speak to someone in the surgery?

Complaint #2

My wife was called some days after the blood tests to make an appointment as instructed to see the nurse again to discuss her results. Whilst registering with the receptionist for her appointment with the nurse, the receptionist gave my wife a form for a repeat blood test for ME and to ask me to retake a blood test after one month, this form is attached to allow you to be able to trace when it was generated and by whom. My wife was told that my cholesterol was high on my initial blood test and that there was evidence of some fatty tissue on my liver, hence a repeat blood test was required!

This is clearly a concern as I had expected, or even still believe I have the right to some privacy and confidentiality about my medical history and the results of my tests. Your comments would be appreciated in this regard. I think it neither appropriate nor professional for your staff and the practice to behave in this manner.

I welcome your comments.