"Worst Gp service I have ever been registered with"

I eventually got through to the surgery at 08.20 this morning,and as usual no appointments available,I asked the receptionist if I could book an appointment with the nurse practitioner for tomorrow morning,I tried to explain to her that I wouldn’t be able to phone first thing tomorrow as I would of just finished a 10 hour night shift and be on my way home.She clearly had no intention of offering me an appointment and suggested my husband could phone to make the appointment,if you were guaranteed to get an appointment it may of been worth him being late for work but you are not and this is not an acceptable way to have to try to make an appointment when you are feeling so unwell.

I asked when the next bookable nurse appt was,that was 8 days next GP appt December,it’s the 8th November today!As the drop in service has been stopped there Is basically no option to be seen by anyone.

I would really like to know how you are supposed to see a nurse or doctor it’s impossible to know 4 weeks in advance if you are going to be ill.I also wonder why when I walk past the surgery there is never more than a few people waiting.

When the drop in service was available you would have to wait a couple of hours sometimes but at least you could be seen.I have been a practising registered nurse for over 30 years,15 of them as a practice nurse and if I worked in a surgery that offered the service this one does I could not morally practice there.I rarely want an appointment firstly because I treat any minor ailments myself and don’t expect appointments for trivial things.However when I feel I need to see either a GP or nurse practitioner I feel it’s an appalling system that is on offer.

I have been really unwell and after the conversation with the receptionist this morning I was really upset and frustrated and felt she was very unhelpful,she repeatadly just asked me if I wanted to make the appointment for December or in 8 days.Which I did not I needed an appointment urgently so consequently I have not made an appointment as I was so frustrated I couldn’t actually believe the attitude of the receptionist.I will contact the practice manager tomorrow to find out the process of making a formal complaint as I feel this is an unacceptable service not just for me but for the young families and vulnerable patients that are registered at the practice.

K.Crane