"Appointments system horrific"

Having attempted to get an appointment by telephone for a sprained shoulder for 4 days without success I attended Manchester City Centre walk in centre and was seen within the hour. I was prescribed Naproxen but due being on other medication was told I would need two weeks renal monitoring as both drugs combined are hard on the kidneys. I was told to contact my GP.

I attempted to contact my GP but was told I would have to attend at 7am to get an appointment(which I am unable to do due to family and work commitments),

I was eventually given a telephone appointment with the nurse at 2pm the next day who would contact me by phone. I missed the nurses call at 2.20pm by seconds but was instructed by the nurse on my voicemail to call back and arrange the test so I immediately called back. However despite the nurses instructions to call back the reception staff were unable to organise the tests for me or pass this to a nurse/doctor to authorise. I was told the next advance appointment for an advance appointments is 21/09/2018, 10 days after being prescribed medication which could damage my kidneys without monitoring. Clearly this is far too late given the advice of the walk in centre.

The appointments system and approach is frankly shambolic and there appears to be little sympathy given to individual circumstances or clinical need, even when advice has been given by the walk centre (the place they send everyone unable to get an appointment). The overall impressions is one of being fobbed off.

You have to fight to get seen. I don't really want to have to use the service in all honesty but given the advice to have the blood test is being given by another medical professional, it is surprising that my own GP surgery is unwilling to help. All I need is a paper slip commissioning the renal function test!

Oh and finally, where will this blood test take place you might wonder? That's right. Oldham Hospital. For someone with children who go to school in failsworth, a profession and an office in Manchester City Centre, the fact that the GP cannot arrange blood tests for weeks and weeks and is sending patients to Oldham Royal (where you queue for hours!) is beyond unsatisfactory and is frankly outrageous.

Do not register at this surgery!