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Lerwick Health Centre

Posted By I am Trouble

"Lerwick Health Centre"

About: Lerwick Health Centre

(as the patient),

When I registered at the Lerwick Health Centre as a NHS patient I was quite shocked to find how this Centre is being run. I went into the Health Centre with chest pains and breathing difficulty and asked to see a GP. I was told that the Doctors are not seeing anyone that afternoon. I said that my chest is tight and sore and had breathing problems. I was told that there is a Walk in Clinic the next day. Again I said I needed to see a Doctor, chest pains, breathing problems, Asthma and inhalers are doing nothing. Oh it's just a chest infection is the reply would you like to take a seat and wait to see a Doctor but it will be a long wait or a phone appointment to speak to a Doctor.

The impression I get from the GP's that I have seen they are quite happy to do as little as possible. They do not follow up treatments confirmed by a telephone conversation I had with a Doctor from Brevik House who told me that the GP treating me should be following it up. I have had wrong prescriptions, ill advice on taking medicine corrected by a Doctor at A. R. I. saying they shouldn't be doing that.

I left a message on the answer machine for some Pain Killers that I did not have a repeat prescription for. No questions asked a few days later I got 200 Pain Killers from Chemist.

If I do not get registered at another Health Centre then I think the Duty Manager for the Lerwick Health Centre is going to get a lot of formal complaints from me.

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Responses

Response from Gina Alexander, Director, Care Opinion Scotland, Care Opinion 11 years ago
Gina Alexander
Director, Care Opinion Scotland,
Care Opinion

I lead our wonderful team in Scotland

Submitted on 14/01/2013 at 12:37
Published on Care Opinion at 12:37

picture of Gina Alexander

Dear I am Trouble

Thanks for being in touch with us about your story and apologies that we didn't get it right first time round. We've sorted this now and appreciate you taking the time to get back to us and keep us right.

You will have been surprised, no doubt, that staff from NHS Shetland hadn't replied or responded to your story as you can see they have a good track record of doing so. In this case, as they weren't alerted to your story by us, they won't have been able to read or respond to it. Apologies to NHS Shetland too.

Hope everything works out from here on.

Thanks again

All the best

Gina

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Response from Carolyn Hand, Corporate Services Manager/Complaints Officer, Chief Executive's Department, NHS Shetland 11 years ago
Carolyn Hand
Corporate Services Manager/Complaints Officer, Chief Executive's Department,
NHS Shetland

Submitted on 15/01/2013 at 10:47
Published on Care Opinion at 11:09

I am sorry you've had a negative experience.

Lerwick Health Centre has either a walk in clinic or emergency clinic every day and there is always a Duty Doctor to deal with any urgent problems or home visit. If you'd like to contact me directly I would be happy to investigate further but would need your details in order to do so.

Thanks

Lisa Sutherland, Service Manager for Primary Care

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Update posted by I am Trouble (the patient)

Hello Ms Sutherland and thanks for your reply.

Revealing who I am does not change the fact that I had to ask three times before I was able to speak to a Doctor and then later to see a Doctor. Your staff member was told everything they needed to know why I was asking to see a Doctor. I was stood in the Health Centre at 2pm in the afternoon.

It is very well saying there is a Duty Doctor on call at the Health Centre for emergencies, what am I meant to do when the staff member I spoke to was basically refusing to refer me on, your staff member should of used a little bit of common sense when a patient is standing in front of them telling them they have a tight, sore chest and breathing problems.

The diagnoses of "just a chest infection" ended up with myself being referred to Aberdeen Hospital for treatment.

I am Trouble

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