"Totally unsatisfactory"

I Have been registered at the Lister House Surgery for almost 40years and I have to say this is the worst I have ever known it. I cannot remember the last time I called and waited less than 30 minutes for someone to answer the phone. I have recently had an operation on my foot and have been recovering for 9 weeks now. As a serving Police Officer I have a fantastic facility called Goring which I can use to aid my recovery with physio and one to one treatment it is an amazing place. I have used the facility on numerous occasions and the one proviso is that prior to going I have to get the stamp from my surgery and my GP signs the form. Last Thursday 14th June I called the surgery to marrange to drop my form in as the doctor has signed it for me on numerous occasions. I waited 46 minutes before I was actually spoken too and immediately I was told I wouldn’t get any assistance unless I paid a £10 charge!!!. I tried to explain that I have never had to pay before but it was clears I wasn’t being listened to. Eventually I was told to take the letter in and the doctor would decide whether he would sign it and indeed whether I would have to pay. I dropped the letter in and after hearing nothing I attended the surgery today and I was bluntly told that my GP was not at work for another week. I was again left frustrated and made to feel helpless. None of the staff seem to give a damn about the personal circumstances or show any compassion. After waiting for so long to speak on the phone and being told to take the letter in you think it would have been commen courtesy to inform me I would have to wait almost two weeks for a reply.

I fully appreciate the role of a medical receptionist can be stressful but I find the staff severely lacking any compassion . Every time I call the same message comes up telling us how they are training new staff and the call could take a while to answer. That message has been on the phone for months it’s I’m afraid not acceptable. And added to the almost contempt with which they deal with you is a disgraced.

I would like to say my GP is a very exceptional man who always goes out of his was when I actually get to see him . It’s a shame I cannot say the same for th e staff.

I am a civil servant and I would be sacked if I treated people in the way Lister medical centre have treated me.

I await a response

Regards

Mr Paul Read