South Street Surgery 2024-03-23 Person 1 5 0

I went for my appointment as arranged on the phone after a nearly 2 hour wait, arranged 3 weeks before. The receptionist didn't know when I phoned, that I needed to tell her it was for a medical review, so I didn't say so and she didn't ask. She tried to fob me off to an econsult on the website. I had previously tried that and got nowhere, so I protested and eventually we discovered that with a medical review I was entitled to a face to face doctor meeting. When I arrived at the appointment I signed in on the screen. It said my appointment was at a different site. I always make appointments at Bishop's Park, as I know I can easily park, so I knew I wouldn't have made a mistake booking. I really couldn't believe this, so I said so to the receptionist, and said it was very frustrating as it was so difficult to get to the appointment due to work circumstances, and I was told it wasn't her fault, she reluctantly apologised. I knew she didn't mean it. She said no text had been sent to confirm. She said could I get to the other side of town in 20 minutes and be at my appointment. I said no. She was then extremely unhelpful and impolite when I asked if I could have checked what had been booked for me on the website anywhere. She seemed to find that insulting, when I was only asking what I thought was an obvious question. I was then told that I have to wait for more than another week before I can have the review. This really isn't working, is it, South St?

Where to start! Run the system like a business with real customers. Availability of appointments not from 8am, which I can't get to use as I am working. Make enough appointments available, so they don't run out if you ring later. Availability at the weekend. As you asked, train receptionists properly. (I have waited and given the benefit of the doubt on several occasions, but things haven't improved) Make automatic medical reviews appointments, so you don't have to go through the rigmarole of the phone system. Tell people they have a medical review coming up in advance, so they don't go to the chemist to get medication and get told they can order through the chemist, but they can't, and they go to the dr to find that's the system to get you to make a review.