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Tideswell Surgery 2023-03-29 Person 0 5 0

I needed to collect a prescription from Tideswell Surgery. I have asthma, the prescription was for my new inhalers. They called us to say that the prescription was ready, I drove in today to collect. I tried parking in the small surgery car park as my asthma makes the hill difficult, but it was full. So I left and parked down in Tideswell itself, and walked - wheezing - up the hill to collect my prescription. There was quite a long queue, so I waited a while, then when I got to the front the lady behind the reception desk took my name (a bit gruff, no 'good morning' for instance) and then went to find my prescriptions in the drawer. While she was looking, I noticed a hand written sign on the reception desk saying that it is cash only. I asked her is this true, can I not pay by card, as I had no cash (many don't, it's 2023!). She said 'no, you can't pay on a card' and left it at that. No apology or explanation. I asked 'so is it really cash only, can I not get my inhalers today?'. She sighed and said 'can't you just walk back down to the bank and get cash out?'. The honest answer to this is that no, I couldn't, but I did not want to share my symptoms with the by-now listening queue, so I asked her why they had not mentioned on the telephone that we would need cash to collect my prescription. She ignored this and simply repeated that I could walk to the bank. I said that I don't have time and left. So there was ZERO apology, ZERO warning on the 'phone, and very little grace or humanity. Combine that with the least-private reception queuing area in England and I simply won't go back to this surgery. I am left going away in two days with no meds and very poor customer care or sympathy for my situation by the staff. It was a horrid, stressful and embarrassing episode, which is the opposite of what a surgery should be providing. Send staff on a customer care course sharpish or this surgery will fold as the newer generation will simply vote with their feet. It feels like a local surgery for local people who have lived in the village for 50 years. I have not, so was treated very shabbily. An upsetting experience. Receptionists are the public face of any business. They need to care as much about the patients as do the doctors. (Morning of Wednesday 29th March)

Warn patients on the 'phone ahead of time that there is an issue with the payment machine, in order that we might bring cash with us to the surgery, rather than saying nothing then leaving us without medicine. Apologise when confirming that you won't release meds as you're cash only as you have been without a card machine for some time. Don't patronisingly say 'can't you just go to the bank' to a patient in front of the whole queue when you have no idea about that patient's symptoms or circumstances.