Alvaston Medical Centre

Written by a patient

Tried to book an appointment for 3 days or 1 week due to the new booking system, neither were possible ! I needed appointments for my two sons after school and could only be offered 3.30pm, this was too early ! I was then asked if I could take them out of school to attend the appointments - err NO !! The surgery is there to provide a service and this isn't happening, its open until 8pm on two days so why couldn't an appointment be offered after 3.30pm. I then tried to book with the nurse Jean and she does not work after school hours so again not helpful ! I could only manage to get an appointment for one of my sons at 4.15pm and was told I need to log onto the website to get an online appointment, I have done this and only ones available are with Jean the nurse between 9-2.40pm so again not helpful....

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Written by a patient

I found the system online easier to use than trying to get through on the phone. Now the only appointments available are with Jean the nurse practitioner. There used to be available appointments with the doctors but not now. I have been lead to believe that I have to speak to a medic and he decides if my condition warrants seeing the doctor. This now negates the use of system online unless ordering prescriptions as I now have to phone and if you can get through you might be allowed to see the doctor. I do realise that our doctors are busy all the time but what is the point of the system online? It made it easier to make the appointment and you knew you were going to be seen. At the moment I can't drive and getting through on the phone in the morning well enough said. Why has this all been brought about without letting patients and carers know? I for one wasn't made aware of the changes till I ended up turning up at the surgery for an appointment with the nurse regarding my dressing!!

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Written by a patient

when you get an appointment the care is good. The online system is great for ordering repeat prescriptions as it stops the years of errors by the Admin staff on my medication. The online system is dire for getting appointments as most of the time there are only appointments for the Nurse Practitioner. The Surgery really hasnt embraced this technology and moved with the times. Many patients work and need to be at work so cant spend vast amounts of time trying to get appointments by phone. When you are offered an appointment by phone you are typically only offered the next slot! If the Surgery Management read this please embrace the online system it would make your patients lives alot easier and its patients that effectively fund your jobs via the NHS!

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Written by a patient

The booking system appears to be aimed at people who probably do not contribute to the NHS, i.e. unemployed, retired, disabled. For those of us who work full time the unacceptable wait at 8AM to get through to a receptionist is usually followed by a disappointment and a request to call back the next day, then possibly the next day, then possibly the next day. This has happened to me and other members of my family on several occasions, very awkward when you're trying to get to work or start work around 8AM. To avoid this I tried the Systmonline booking service, this only has appointments for the practice nurse, no GP's available (Note to Practice Manager - is there any point in using this service? You, therefore we, are paying for it I assume. Just tried phoning for a non-urgent appointment. The 574487 number is permanently engaged. If you use callback it doesn't work, goes from ringtone to engaged in a second. The 08444 number is now not available. the 755990 number went to "we're aware of your call" etc etc and stayed engaged for over twenty five minutes! Bearing the above in mind, why is Alvaston Medical Centre touting for business from the new Buttercup Leys development between Alvaston and Thulston? If you can't handle the current workload why are you encouraging more people to be disappointed? Anyway, have given up using technology (which doesn't appear to your strongpoint) so I will drive to the surgery, park on Boulton Lane slowing down the traffic and get embarassed by the receptionists asking me detailed questions in front of the queue about why I need an appointment, and could I: Come back tomorrow Come back next week Or phone Or use the online thing We're really busy.....

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Written by a patient

Helpful receptionists. It would be great if all doctors could be as thorough as Dr. Summerscales, then perhaps he would not become so overworked and impacting on appointment times if the work load was fully shared by all gp's then patients would be happier to see other doctors at the surgery. Overall a good surgery.

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