Charing Surgery

Charing Surgery 2015-10-29 Person 2 5 0

My complaint is about the triage call system, not our doctors who are excellent if you can get to see them. A doctor cannot tell how ill someone is over the phone, and to diagnose someone's symptoms, or decide whether you are worthy or ill enough over the phone to get an appointment is incredibly dangerous. It will only be a matter of time before some poor patient who doesn't like to cause a fuss will die waiting for the triage call or by being classed not urgent enough to get an appointment. Monday evening I had to call the ambulance as my husband aged 66 came home from work and nearly collapsed as he got in the door with severe stomach pains. The last time I called an ambulance was 20 years before when he was having a heart attack, so I don't dial 999 lightly. The fact that he let me, told me how much pain he was in. This is a man who has had cancer, triple heart bypass and is diabetic, and still works. He had stopped off at the surgery on the way home, but it was 6.10pm and they were closed. The ambulance crew were stretched to the limit. The ambulance practitioner Dave came and helped him and gave exceptional care and wanted him to see the doctors the next day and get treatment and be examined to find out the cause of the problem. Tuesday he phoned the surgery at 8am and got the triage call back from one of the newer doctors. The doctor spoke to him and doubled the dose of one of his tablets(stops his other tablets burning his gut) and did not make an appointment to see him. The pain had gone so my husband didn't push for an appointment, although he wasn't feeling terrific. Wed he got up at 5am to go to work and by 6.20am he was in agony with the stomach pains again. A cup of coffee had set it off. He called the surgery at 8am and did the automated book a triage call. 10.10am still no call from the surgery. So I rang the surgery and explained the situation to the receptionist, that he hadn't had a call yet and he really needed to see a doctor today. The receptionist said that his request had not been logged on the system, there was no record of it. she booked him another call with a doctor. By 10.30am he was in absolute agony, and in a dreadful state, so I called the surgery to ask if I could bring him straight down. But all I got was a recorded message saying the surgery was open but there was no one to take your call and then you get cut off. I rang two or three times, same message. I had no choice, our surgery wasn't there for us, I had to call an ambulance. The call from the triage doctor came at about 11.15am by which time I had already called the ambulance. As I explained to the doctor her call was too late! The Ambulance technician, another Dave, was fantastic and gave him gas and air to take the edge off the pain, spent an hour doing checks ecg's etc.excellent. He took him into hospital and there we waited for 4 hours to be seen, most of that time he was in agony, but A& E are so stretched, is it any wonder. He was given two different lots of tablets and fortunately sent home. All simple treatment that our surgery, working effectively, could have given him on the Tuesday with a proper appointment, an examination and medication from the pharmacy. It is all there, if only you can get an appointment!! It is such a shame, we have excellent doctors, Dr Naganathar especially, Dr Dunnet, Dr Warrilow are terrific,the nurses are fantastic. But the call appointment system lets this great surgery down. It is so hard to make an appointment now without creating more stress on the patient. The normal appointment system that was in place when Dr Lister was in charge was excellent. It went like this:- Feel ill, ring up surgery, get appointment same day, normally, see a doctor, get better. I am not convinced the triage system stops the time wasters. If I feel ill, I feel guilty because I am made to feel I am disturbing the doctors, so I don't go anymore, I prescribe myself. How can that be good.

Charing Surgery 2015-10-19 Person 1 5 0

Receptionists need to be more helpful & understanding of parents that work. Booking an appointment more than 2 weeks ahead is not possible over the phone so trying to get a non urgent appointment for myself & my child together is very difficult. Sitting in all morning for a doctor to call back way after 12pm is not helpful and being told if I'm out they will call on my mobile. I do not want to have a discussion with the doctor on my mobile in the shopping aisle about a very embarrassing/personal problem! Changing our family doctor without any notification and now me & my child have completely different doctors. What happened to a family having the same doctor! Not helpful if we both need appointments together. Having to have separate appointments for flu jabs. Why can't the doctor do it (only takes 30 seconds) whilst having a normal 10min appointment for another complaint. My child had an appointment for one condition and I had to make separate appointment for a flu jab nowhere near each other and has to fit around school day as well. So complicated when if all done at once could be so much simpler for everbody.

Charing Surgery 2015-10-09 Person 5 5 0

I have been with Charing Surgery since December 1958 and have always been treated with the upmost respect, kindness and efficiency.

Charing Surgery 2015-09-24 Person 4 5 0

Did not have to wait at all in surgery. Seen absolutely on the dot. Nice place. Good people.

Charing Surgery 2015-09-22 Person 5 5 0

Came for a 12.10 appointment with Tracy. Was seen at 11.30am. 40 minutes early. Excellent and caring as always, a credit to the team. Never had a problem at Charing Surgery in 28 years. A great practice.