Bernays & Whitehouse Group Practice

I am afraid that the transition from the service provided by Michael Abdou at Blossomfield Surgery has been most unsatisfactory. If the move away from the personal service of a sole practitioner to a multi location medical centre was meant to be positive, I am afraid that it as backfired most spectacularly. We no longer have any confidence that we can obtain an appointment in a reasonable period of time and on occasions have had to endure a 3 week delay. The online and telephone booking systems are woefully inadequate and the attitude of the reception staff leaves a lot to be desired with promised return calls never being made. If this is progress I’m afraid that I have lost all faith in their ability to deliver an efficient NHS facility and will be actively pursuing a private solution where the interests of the patient are of primary importance. I think that the abysmal reviews of all of the surgeries associated with this group speak for themselves and I hope that the Negative comments are acted upon in the interests of their patients.

The biggest problem is trying to book an appointment by phone. No matter what time I have rung there can be up to 15 people in the queue in front of me, and even hanging on and hanging I only occasionally move up. It can take days to get an answer. I've taken to driving to the surgery to make an appointment. This seems to be since all the local practices have become the same group, using the same number, but there still seems to be only one person answering the phone, probably at Grove Road. When my wife did manage to get through the receptionist expressed surprise at how many people have been in the queue, but then answering one call at a time she wouldn't know any different. She had to go off and make an enquiry, but told my wife to hang on "as the phone will only go again" (what a surprise) and was away for several minutes - during which time the queue would just be getting longer and longer. This is just not acceptable. You need more staff answering the phone and making appointments, passing the call onto someone else if enquiries need to be made. But that would cost money, and no doubt you would fall foul of some 'efficiency' target of how long it took patients to get to see a doctor from when an appointment was made.

It is impossible to get an appointment at Grove Rd (I've been registered there for over twenty years). All I ever get is 'I've got nothing on the books' presumably meaning they are fully booked for months and months. This has now happened on three consecutive occasions over the last two years and is unacceptable. Despite claiming an online appointment service this never works as Grove Rd is not listed and there never seems to be less than 20 people waiting in the telephone queue, then even if you wait 35 minutes you receive the 'Ive got nothing' reply. I'm sure the medical staff are probably wonderful but you never get to meet them! Oh and my prescription review is two years overdue because I cannot make an appointment to see anybody! Never mind the nurses at Solihull Hospital are wonderful.. don't worry they'll take up the slack for you!

We have been registered at Blossomfield Surgery for nearly 35 years with Doctor Michael Abdu Since his semi retirement & now full NHS retirement we have seen a 90% decline in service at this practise While the reception changed from exceptional to average with improvements over 12 months this was an acceptable change for us But when presented with what seems a mish mash of Doctoring ability I do feel I must complain ! And ask the question to http://www.solihulldoctors.com/# Bernays & Whitehouse Medical Group How do you assess employment of a GP ( General Practitioner)? Is it via their ability/personality/qualification or cost to you to practise? There seems to be a succession of 1.. Bad Doctoring ( ability) 2.. Average Doctoring ( ability/personality) 3.. Good Doctoring ( ability or other not present at Blossomfield) My mother is 90 years old and was quite fit and able. She has deteriorated into a Lady now barely able to walk, following chronic back pain. She visited a GP @ Blossomfield 1st visit. No urine sample was taken. We were not informed she could have had a home visit. Yet we did manage to bring her into appointments twice. No real examination took place just a saddening robotic review of symptoms, less empathy would have been a complete robotic visit No time really to get to know a patient. Do they care ? I don’t think so ! It’s just a job. My mother was given a script —a pain killer prescription which gave my mother chronic tummy problems and constipation. 2nd visit. Another visit another this time my mother hardly able to walk Another doctor She changed prescription. No real examination was done. A courteous smile given 5 days later - No improvement. We called Surgery again & asked for a ‘home visit’ and this was booked through reception. To our distress Absolute Dismay & disgust No one visited. None Called. My mother is no better ! Yes she could go Private But is of the 90 year old opinion Why should I now pay privately for a service I’ve paid for all my life till Now! But maybe private us the way forward. Opting out of NHS GP’s awarded a JOB under what criteria. Ability. Qualification . Personality ??? You tell me Bernay & Whitehouse Medical Group Should we change surgeries ? Yes I think it’s time now for a change Can we find a 5 Star NHS GP do you know of one? Please share We are now changing surgeries but this will not resolve itself for others@ Blossomfield unless attention to abilities. Professional abilities and Doctoring is evaluated & changed We were very fortunate we had exceptional medical service for 35 years. Cherish good Doctors such as Michael Abdu . Sadly there seems to be few of them ! Contact me please if you have a 5* GP or surgery in the solihull area Could I rate Blossomfield now? No I couldn’t. It’s below rating ...