Doctors Surgery

gravitytolls

Our surgery does this now, I think it's preferable.

I call in the morning, receptionist takes the details, Dr calls back, asks questions, decides whether to see me or leave a prescription at the pharmacy for me.

If I know we need to see a Dr I just say 'I need to make an urgent appointment please.' Receptionist asks no questions and gives me a time.

Our surgery is very very good and we're very lucky to have them.

Janepig

I've just had a look and my surgery doesn't offer online booking for appointments. It's the old 8.30am carnage only. It's bad I know, but me and my kids have to be at death's door before we go up there. I know people who are up there all the time for their free calpol script, etc... I couldn't be bothered. I'd rather pay myself than sit for hours in the surgery (because if you are lucky enough to get an appointment, you'll never be seen at that time). They've also got a partner surgery afew miles out of town and nine times out of ten they ask you to go there, which is okay for me because I drive, but if you don't then you're stuffed.

There's afew niggly things now that I'm getting on that I'd like to see a doctor about but it's hell on earth a: trying to get in, b: waiting for hours when you are there, and c: being royally fobbed off in a consultation lasting about half a minute. Last time I took DS there with an eye infection, my arris barely grazed the chair in the doctor's room before she printed off a web address for me to look at to see how to treat DS's eye myself. I kid you not! I though they told you off for self diagnosing on t'internet! :rotfl:

Jx

Tigsteroonie

21Twinkle wrote: »

It seems that I have inadvertently started something here ?

How many of you are happy/not happy with your GP Surgeries ?

Well I'm definitely not! The GPs are fine, as are the appointments when you eventually get one. But the service levels provided by the Practice & the reception staff leave A LOT to be desired.

TeaForOne

Don't worry - now the GPs are in charge of the NHS everything will be just tickety-boo.

Oh.....

j.e.j.

21Twinkle wrote: »

It seems that I have inadvertently started something here ?

How many of you are happy/not happy with your GP Surgeries ?

So-so. I've known a lot worse, so I'll stay where I am for the moment!

I sometimes wish there was another option. Not everyone has the resources (mentally or physically) to deal with the cr*p they dish out. In a lot of places there's a real 'us and them' attitude, which isn't very pleasant, or helpful.

That said, I honestly don't think I could do their job, and while I don't condone it I can understand sometimes why they choose to be obstructive and unhelpful. I imagine it's the kind of working environment where if you're nice and helpful, you'll get taken advantage of.

Just my thoughts!

Desperado99

21Twinkle wrote: »

It seems that I have inadvertently started something here ?

How many of you are happy/not happy with your GP Surgeries ?

All in all, I'm pretty happy with ours (now I know how to get a same day appt!). They've just brought in online repeat prescriptions, which is so much easier. Plus, I've had some health issues this year that have involved referrals to other services and it's all been dealt with with efficiency so far, so I can't complain

dizziblonde

gravitytolls wrote: »

Our surgery does this now, I think it's preferable.

I call in the morning, receptionist takes the details, Dr calls back, asks questions, decides whether to see me or leave a prescription at the pharmacy for me.

If I know we need to see a Dr I just say 'I need to make an urgent appointment please.' Receptionist asks no questions and gives me a time.

Our surgery is very very good and we're very lucky to have them.

Ours is very good at getting doctors to do phonecall consults if you can't get down there or need some quick advice - and they're good at leaving prescriptions for you to collect if it's somethign resolveable that way.

GobbledyGook

21Twinkle wrote: »

It seems that I have inadvertently started something here ?

How many of you are happy/not happy with your GP Surgeries ?

I'm torn by mine tbh. The appointment system is a nightmare. However the 2 GP's I tend to see for me or the kids and the nurses who run the clinics are fantastic. My eldest has epilepsy and it has taken a long time to get it under control and they've been brilliant. However if the rumours of 1 retiring and 1 leaving to work elsewhere ever come to fruition then I'll be on the waiting lists elsewhere.

There is one receptionist who is slightly less dragony than the others and that has made a difference. We have a quite unusual surname and she seems to have realised that if I phone for an appointment for one of my kids it's because they do need to see a doctor (as opposed to my neighbour who takes her kids to the docs for everything!) so will try and fit us in.

Abbafan1972

Our surgery does online booking using Emis. It's pretty good, although not all the doctors are listed, so occasionally I have to ring up. And I can only book online for me or my OH, not for the kids.

The receptionist on the phone will usually ask if it's urgent and if you do book an urgent appt the doctor will know it's an urgent appt you've booked. They don't ask what it's about though.

They won't accept repeat prescription requests over the phone, you have to put it in writing or fill the other half of your prescription and tick the box for the item(s) you want and put it in the little box on the reception desk. They say 48 hours for prescriptions, but sometimes they are so slow and it takes longer. :(Although now I'm registered with Asda pharmacy and I can just ask them to request a prescription from the doctors, or I can ring them up if I forget to stop at the pharmacy counter when I'm in there. They're very helpful.

barbiedoll

Despite my earlier post, my GP practice isn't bad at all and the receptionists are all very good.

I work in a clinic in a large health centre and our two receptionists do have to put up with some carp from some of our patients. They have to try to decipher a conversation with a patient who is shouting down a mobile phone, whilst in a car, who doesn't speak very good English. They have to deal with patients who turn up 45 minutes late and then have a tantrum because they can't be seen today. They get rude phone calls from people who must have a benefit claim form signed STRAIGHT AWAY, despite there being no midwives, health visitors or doctors in the building. And twice a week, they have to try to deal with patients whilst the "baby clinic" is running, where women bring their toddlers down and then let them run riot around the room, screaming, crying and throwing leaflets around. We've had to turn off our water cooler because parents would let their kids run the tap onto the floor and then play in the puddles. The noise level is horrendous and yet they still manage to be polite and helpful to those who come in.

I couldn't do their job!