"Terrible service"

Since registering with this surgery in 2017 I have experienced very poor service from the Receptionists on all 3 occasions I have needed to see a doctor.

On the first occasion I was told I needed to see a doctor in order to get a repeat prescription for some acne gel because I was a new patient. I arrived for my appointment and was left waiting for almost 1 hour until one of the Receptionists decided to tell me that the doctor was out conducting home visits and they didn't know when he would be back and I will need to just sit and wait for his return. As such I didn't see a doctor as scheduled and a call was then arranged with a doctor a couple of days later of which I was advised that a F2F appointment was not even necessary for a repeat prescription of this type!

On the second occasion I needed to see a doctor for a chest infection I had been fighting for 6 weeks.The Receptionist told me that there were no appointments available and cut the conversation. In order to be seen by a doctor I had almost beg and provide full details of my symptoms to the Receptionist before they would even consider giving me an appointment. I'm wondering when it was that Receptionists were trained medical professionals who can assess who is ill enough to see a doctor or not?

Finally, the third time I rang the surgery was following an allergic reaction to the antibiotics I was prescribed for my chest infection following my second visit. AGAIN, the Receptionist dismissed my request to see a doctor and I had to state sternly that I needed to speak to the doctor as I hadn't finished the course of antibiotics fighting my infection and also the fact I had experienced an allergic reaction to them. I was then offered through gritted teeth a telephone call 2 days later as the "best they can offer". Following this call with the doctor she asked for me to go in and see her F2F, something that I feel the Receptionist should have acknowledged as necessary from the offset.

Although the Receptionists/gate keepers provide the most appalling service, I will say that the doctors I have spoken to/met with have been great. Its just unfortunate getting to meet them is such a hard task.