Share review of Fforestfach Medical Centre
Despite two years of treatment for urinary retention, prostate cancer (ongoing), ongoing prescription medication for high blood pressure and major surgery for arterial aneurysm. I have not seen any doctor within the practice for this length of time. To contact the practice to obtain an appointment or conversation with a doctor is almost impossible. In the past it has taken me multiple calls a day and three days to contact the surgery. The system for obtaining repeat prescriptions, dispensed via a pharmacy is almost unusable. In the past it has taken 8 days from making a request to obtaining the medication. As I require the same medication permanently with a yearly review, it would seem reasonable to allow me to receive more than 1 months supply at a time. My requests for this have been ignored. The system does not work and the only way to receive my medication in reasonable timescale is to make a repeat prescription online, wait three days for it to appear at the surgery and then take it to a reliable pharmacy which I know will dispense over the counter. (Three days wait , a visit to the surgery , a visit to the pharmacy - repeated every month) . The only satisfactory service I have received from the surgery is provided by the nurses within the practice. I require a 3 monthly injection, the next injection is booked each time I visit for an injection. This is the only system within the practice which seems to operate effectively.
During the past two years I have attended Urinary, Vascular and Oncology hospital departments multiple times for various treatments. I have received multiple MRI, CAT and ultrasound scans. Also 4 months of Catheterisation then Biopsy, radiation therapy and major surgery. All this was organized via hospital departments. Apart from responding to a hospital request to provide me with 3 monthly hormone suppression injections, which have been administered by a nurse at the practice, I have not had any
personal contact with any of the GPs at the practice.
The practice seems to rely on the extensive use of locums - not entirely satisfactory from a patients point of view and perhaps in part responsible for the situation that I have experienced.