"Lack of access to a wide range of services"

I have been a patient at Datchet for 7 years.

All the GPs and nurses I have eventually seen have been highly professional, empathetic and delivered high quality care. HOWEVER, the urgent ongoing problem really is a complete lack of access to this care.

I’ve had problems with making appoints for myself, my sons & husband in a wide range of situations. A few examples are....

Husband discharged from St Georges hospital having had a chest drain. He needed the stitches removed a week later. I tried to make an appoint in advance with a GP as he needed a GP to listen to his lungs when they did this. I was told that the nurses “don't take stitches out” as they are too busy. They said he had to go to the Walk In at Upton. When I protested that he needed a GP appoint they couldn't give me one for several weeks, well beyond when it needed doing. I pointed out that he was also too ill to sit waiting for hrs in Upton as he also had 15 fractured bones. Still there was no offer of an appointment. We went to Upton for a doctors appointment there even though registered at Datchet. No home visit was offered either.

Blood tests are not conducted at Datchet Health Centre but are centralised at the King Edward Hospital in Windsor which is a time consuming nightmare. I didnt realise that people arrive very early to be near the front of the enormous queue. When I arrived at the official opening time I was already 28th in the queue and had to wait approx 2 hrs. Why can’t a phlebotomist be more available at Datchet?

When I needed a cervical smear last autumn I had to wait much longer than usual because the nurses at the Health Centre were involved in flu vaccinations and therefore the womens health clinics weren't available!!

This year my son needed to see a doctor with a facial fracture whilst waiting for surgery. He couldn't get an appointment for a doctor and saw a medical practitioner. She was very good but couldn't give us the analgesics he required.

3 weeks ago my husband needed urgent care for a sudden onset abscess. He couldn't get an emergency appoint with anyone at Datchet and was told to try again the next morning. Recognising it required urgent attention he went to Upton who referred him to A&E as so serious for immediate antibiotics and minor surgery. A GP at Datchet should have been able to do the same.

A GP at the practice advised ear syringing was required on Aug 3rd. When asking at reception to book an appoint with a nurse there wasn't one for 5 weeks!!.

Over the last 2 months I have tried to make several appointments with a woman doctor for continuity of care, the problem is that they can’t give you an appoint for less than 3 weeks even if the GP has asked for a check up in 2 weeks, because it is all booked up. I have had repeated problems with simply making an appointment!! It is VERY frustrating!

Plus if you feel terrible and can’t get to the surgery in person, by the time the phone is answered the appointments for the day are gone.