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Uncontactable and unbelievable

Story from nhs.uk

"Uncontactable and unbelievable"

About: Ball Tree Surgery

I am a retired doctor. I don't think it unreasonable to find the results of blood and other tests that I have had done over the last 5 months. My appointment with a practice nurse 2 weeks ago was poor compared to previous appointments with a GP [eg could not access a pathology report on me despite me giving full permission]. I rang today to get full results of blood tests. I was told I couldn't be given them. I said I would write to complain about the service, but said not to telephone me as I was going out. When I returned, I found an email saying that an attempt to ring me had been made [!], also that my telephone 'does not seem to be working correctly'. It is. I don't accept withheld number calls, like many others. I tried to send an email in return to complain about this latest turn of events - 'message may not have been read as this account is not monitored regularly'. I have tried but failed to find an email address for the surgery business manager, nowhere can I find it. So - I have a complaint, they try to ring me when I said I was going out, they blame me for not being able to contact me by phone when the problem is almost certainly that they withheld their number, they send emails from an address that is 'not monitored regularly' and do not publicise any alternative email address at all. It's as if they are putting themselves in the position of saying 'we've tried to contact him but are unable to' when in fact it is because they are doing their utmost to avoid contact. My only option really is to write a letter of complaint, as that way I can ensure that I am not distracted from my many compIaints as I would be if I tried to ring. Don't complain that I'm 'anonymous' - you know perfectly well who I am. The 'service' I have received has plummeted since the merger. Does anyone know of a decent GP surgery locally?

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Responses

Response from Ball Tree Surgery 5 years ago
Ball Tree Surgery

Submitted on 12/10/2018 at 13:10
Published on nhs.uk at 14:06

We have investigated the situation outlined above:

1) Management were informed that a patient wanted to make contact regarding a query as they wanted information on tests and were concerned that we did not have information.

The information regarding the person being out that afternoon was not passed on.

2) Within 5 minutes of being informed the Practice manager attempted to call the patient to see he could help.

3) The number on the record did not work - there was only a beep that indicated a fault on the line - there was no message regarding not receiving blocked numbers

4) The practice manager tried a few more times on the number in case it was a temporary fault.

5) As unable to make contact by telephone the practice manager emailed the patient from a 'generic' email account to alert them that they had tried to make contact by phone and that had been unable to do so as number not working.

6) the person replied to the email in after surgery hours on a Friday evening

7) It is potentially dangerous for any person to email the surgery regarding any clinical matters in case they may need urgent attention.

It is a matter of safety that we rely upon telephone contact where trained staff are able to ask questions.

For reasons of safety all generic email addresses have an automatic out of office reply that advises people that the email may not be seen straight away - in case they written wanting urgent attention.

8) The formal complaint process is for a letter in writing rather than by email for the same reason - a letter can be directed to a person more quickly than an email which may not be monitored if someone is away.

9) The surgery withholds its number for technological and safety reasons.

There is one number/line used for people to call in and another number/line is used for the staff to call out.

Each line can only take a certain number of calls.

If the surgery did not withhold its number then people would see the number that is used for outgoing calls.

I people used this number for calling back then they would overload the line staff at the surgery would not be able to make outgoing calls - including emergency calls.

It is therefore not safe to disclose the number.

10) The Practice manager replied to the email sent on the Friday evening at the first opportunity on the following Monday morning - a 2 hour response time

11) There was no complaint that the patient was anonymous.

There was no blame implied that the patient was not contactable - the opposite in fact - a courtesy email was sent as we had not been able to make contact and were concerned that there may be a fault on the line or that the number on our record was not up to date.

12) Not all reports are made available in the surgery - this is a limitation due to the technology used at various hospital trusts and is entirely outside of the control of the surgery.

We are sorry that the patient in question has felt that we have not provided a good service.

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