Horton Bank Practice

Horton Bank Practice 2015-01-07 Person 1 5 0

- Receptionists should be more helpful and friendly. Also, be trained on customer services and possess empathy towards vulnerable people. Perhaps making the reception more opened instead of having closed blinds and hatches. It makes the patient feel like they are interrupting them and that they are anywhere but at a GP practice. Good manners do not cost a thing and they can make the patient feel valued and in turn be more patient when there is a delay or when things go wrong, very easy to do, we are all human beings after all. Zero tolerance should apply for patients too, when being treated like an animal, we should have the same policy that finds it unacceptable to be treated like that. - The waiting area is quite dull and depressing, have more distractions and a more welcoming decoration wouldn't go amiss. - The health care assistants do not use gloves when taking blood , I have been 3 times with 2 different members of staff and they did not , I had to ask them to wear gloves, that is quite worrying as it is a basic skill and they are not following the code of conduct. - Appointments are sometimes impossible to book, unless you book 1 month ahead, whatever the emergency! Perhaps if the receptionists were more trained on a triage system where they are able to pick up on a patient that needs helps urgently, it would help the patient having to struggle and go to A&E. Also, they could speak to a GP before refusing to give you an appointment , they are acting like gatekeepers and sometimes the GPs have no idea about the situation and the patient cannot trespass reception. - GPs are very professional and friendly and the same applies to the nurses. However, it has happened on a few occasions where doctors have removed items from the repeat prescription without consulting me and have put me in an unsafe position. Furthermore, I had to solve the issue taking me several days and leaving me without vital medication, which I believe is completely unprofessional and against protocol. Doctors should ALWAYS consult with patients before making decisions about a medication especially if the patient has a chronic condition and has always used the medication. Improving communication saves lives.