Urgh. GP surgery having a laugh!

Horseunderwater

You can also use a PC to access the Job centre jobs in your area. Usually found by typing in job centre into google search. Same as the POD devices in the actual Job centre.

pmduk

There's an interesting thread here on the saynoto0870.com website. I hope I'm not breaking any rules by linking to it.

LisaB85

MamaMoo wrote: »

Involves the midwife putting a finger into the cervix and separating the membranes from the cervix. I'm not very excited about it :eek:

:eek: Good luck xxx

GemJar_2

Wow, I work as a receptionist in a busy doctors surgery, we do everything over the phone or face to face (without the 0845 no), the only thing we can't do is order repeat scripts over the phone because it's open to too many errors but even then we have an email address or you can speak to the doctor directly. We even book nurses appointments, including ear syringing, diabetes checks blood tests ect AND we book first midwifes appointments and CAB appointments too, as well as all the usual problems and emergencys. Busy, busy reception! My personal doctors is much much smaller but still no 0845 number and can order scripts/appointments over the phone! I couldn't imagine being so incredibly unhelpful, maybe bring this up with the health authority OP?

flossy_splodge

MamaMoo wrote: »

I nipped into my GP's surgery on the way to the hospital today, and asked about whether they had an 0121 number. I was told no.
After my son's born this weekend, I'll be writing a letter of complaint to the surgery, including this as one of the many ways they've failed miserably during this pregnancy.
After spending my last £3 credit yesterday just to be cut off as "call volumes are high", I think something needs to be done. God forbid someone who actually needed seeing by a dr has the same issues, it's poo!

COMPLAIN

Tim.Cloudnine wrote: »

My gp surgery is similiar but you can book at the reception, where your greeted by some sour faced old lady that treats you like you bore her to tears. Had called the gp to make the appt since I live pretty far away, and said the nurse would phone me back, poor reception meant I missed the call so I phoned them back to explain, they said wait untill she calls again (an 1hr in between each of her calls), during this time I decided to go to the gp surgery instead since I was confused as to why they hadn't phoned back, upon traveling there I missed another call and I went inside the surgery to explain I was just traveling there. I asked if the nurse could just pass on the message to me there or to the receptionist (since she was next door) and was told to go away and wait for my call. When I finally got my call after another hour and 30mins I was told I didn't need an appt and she would leave the prescription at the desk. Dont see why the receptionist couldn't just tell me this herself and give me the prescription.

COMPLAIN!
Unttil we Brits learn how to complain EFFECTIVELY nothing is going to change!
My local PCT PALS person was most shocked about the OP not seeing their midwife in all those weeks.
It's not even my area but I have got them to be interested in the issue of 0844 numbers and will post back when the actual PCT reply to me which I am assured they will.
I was also advised that the directive that went out in April did NOT in fact tell surgeries to stop using 0844 numbers. They have been told they cannot make money from the incoming calls so have to ensure the rate charged is "a standard rate".
When I pointed out that this was clearly NOT the case if you only have access to a mobile they had the good grace to say 'Ah, good point'. We will now see if they do in fact really care.

pmduk

flossy_splodge, if you're contacting the PCT again you may wish to research the number of households that now only have access to mobile phones. I believe it's quite a percentage now and these are the people hit hardest by these 08+ numbers, it may help concentrate their minds,

againstjpc

I'm reading this, thinking REALLY!!?!?! You've not seen your midwife in 37 weeks of pregnancy :eek:

That is disgraceful!

Most GP Surgeries are an absolute disgrace. You ring at 8am in the morning and it's engaged, you then get through at 8:05, yet they're fully booked!?!? Come on.....that cannot be true every time you ring!

I appreciate they're inundated with people most days.

Have you tried a local walk in centre? Or when you've been to the hospital, have you queried why you haven't managed to see a midwife? :money:

I agree with most people also, the 0844 numbers are so stupid, because most people who have contract phones can't or won't ring them and people like yourself who have PAYG sometimes haven't got enough credit to ring them!

I must also say that walking 20 minutes when pregnant is a difficult task, especially that late on in pregnancy :eek:

MamaMoo_2

Flossy, thank you. I have every intention of taking this further. I thought that this new 0844 thing was the norm, as my DH's old doctor was the same.
I have already started drafting a complaint letter, as I've been really fed up with the half-ar*ed care I've received, and how the hospital and my GP's surgery haven't been sorting things out properly, and now I'm left two days away from being induced with no idea as to what's going on :mad:
I intend to make a big issue of their phone number, as often I have run out of credit waiting to speak to a receptionist, or having to pay 30p a time to be told that they can't take my call, and so I've ended up missing out on speaking to a GP etc. If it was an 0121, the busy tone would be free. Why should I have to give them 30p for nothing?
I also intend to find out why they refuse to book appointments at reception. It's not like I'm taking up too much time, they have an electronic system for booking in, so I wouldn't be holding other patients up.

MamaMoo_2

againstjpc wrote: »

I'm reading this, thinking REALLY!!?!?! You've not seen your midwife in 37 weeks of pregnancy :eek:

That is disgraceful!

Most GP Surgeries are an absolute disgrace. You ring at 8am in the morning and it's engaged, you then get through at 8:05, yet they're fully booked!?!? Come on.....that cannot be true every time you ring!

I appreciate they're inundated with people most days.

Have you tried a local walk in centre? Or when you've been to the hospital, have you queried why you haven't managed to see a midwife? :money:

I agree with most people also, the 0844 numbers are so stupid, because most people who have contract phones can't or won't ring them and people like yourself who have PAYG sometimes haven't got enough credit to ring them!

I must also say that walking 20 minutes when pregnant is a difficult task, especially that late on in pregnancy :eek:

I saw a midwife (apparently not mine) twice in the first 16 weeks. Once to book me in. This involved two hours of her filling in my pregnancy notes as she wouldn't let me bring them home and fill them in myself, which is usually what happens. (I've always been given my green notes and told to fill them in myself and bring them to my next appt)
Unfortunately, the woman filled them in incorrectly, and I almost missed out on important tests (as she filled it in as if I'd opted out!) and she also filled in my family history as my personal history (so I was almost put on a care plan for a diabetic who has had a heart transplant!)

My next appointment, she couldn't even get my name right (she called me by my middle name repeatedly, I thought she was calling someone else, then when she finally called me as Mrs. X, and I said "yes, that's me" she got all huffy because I didn't realise that she was calling me. My middle name is Catherine, a common name. How was I to know she wasn't calling a patient called Catherine?!) she then spent the appointment being a total ar*e (moody, not answering my questions, telling my son to stop whinging because he was frightened when I was on the bed and she was listening to baby's heartbeat.)
It turns out she wasn't actually my midwife. She was filling in both times.
My actual midwife is just as useless. She phoned me 3 weeks ago (so I was 34w pregnant) and said "you missed your 28 week appointment yesterday and so you've missed your blood tests"
I just said "no I didn't. I've received no appointments, and besides, I had my 28 week tests at the hospital when I was 28 weeks pregnant... 6 weeks ago"
I told her I was having weekly appointments at the hospital, having an Ultrasound, doppler, blood checks, urine checks, BP checks, and seeing a doctor on a weekly basis.
Apparently, this wasn't good enough for her, because she wanted to see me at 35w so she could do that infinitely more reliable test of measuring my bump with a tape :rollseyes:
She made an appointment that I had to cancel as the diabetic centre at the hospital needed to see me urgently, and I haven't heard from her since

pmduk

Mamamoo perhaps you should contact your local paper? They like this sort of story