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I feel for the staff and patients at the moment

Story from nhs.uk

"I feel for the staff and patients at the moment"

About: Beacon Medical Group

Beacon Medical Group is really struggling. It is almost impossible to get through on the phones and the online booking system which was very helpful is now limited only to flu clinics therefore patients have to go into the surgery for everything. Advice, book appointments, test results, prescription queries etc. etc. We were queued out the door this morning as when I rang at 8:45 am i didn't even have the option to hold and find out where i was in the telephone queue. The recorded message simply said unless its a 999 emergency (in which case ring 999) call back later as we are too busy. They have employed staff with ipads to assist with checking patients in or direct them to the self book in system but this is making little difference to the queue. The hardworking reception staff are the ones face to face with frustrated and anxious patients and have no appointments to offer as the GPs are covering for several long term sick staff. having been a patient of Mudge Way practice for years i have never experienced it like this. When i do see staff including the urgent care team the patient care is brilliant, there are just too many patients and too little staff to sustain this level of pressure and this is before the winter pressure inevitably sets in.

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Responses

Response from Beacon Medical Group 4 years ago
Beacon Medical Group

Submitted on 22/08/2019 at 18:09
Published on nhs.uk at 19:06

Thank you for your feedback.

The practice is aware that patients are experiencing delays in getting through by phone.

This is due to high number of calls coming through to the practice, and the team are working hard to get through as many calls as quickly as possible. The team are taking most calls within 15 minutes, however during busy times we have had up to 40 callers in the queue, this unfortunately does mean some patients are waiting longer.

Online appointments are available for Flu clinics at this time, this is to facilitate booking of 7000 flu appointments; however patients can still use our automated telephone booking system – Patient Partner to book GP appointments.

This service is accessible through telephone option 2, and enables patients to book GP appointments and Blood Test appointments. The service is available 24 hours per day for patient’s convenience.

The practice operates an urgent on the day call back system for patients requiring urgent medical care, and routine appointments are now available two weeks ahead. Each week appointments are released for two weeks’ time and are available to book through Patient Partner.

The practice is constantly reviewing its processes, calls and access for patients.

We hope that the move to releasing appointments two weeks ahead will enable better access for patients to routine appointments without long waits, and we hope that patients will find the remote booking system helpful during this time.

Thank you for your feedback.

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