Victoria Road Surgery

Victoria Road Surgery 2021-11-28 Person 1 5 0

As someone who was shielded, I have been awaiting my Covid booster invitation for the past two months. As requested on the surgery website, I did not contact the surgery, but waited for them to contact me. Eventually I called, as nobody in my family had received an invitation for our booster and we were all overdue. It took a long time to get through - with many attempts before even reaching the queue, and then a long wait in the queue, only to be told there were no local appointments. I was told to ring again the next day, which I did (another long wait) and still no appointments. I rang again the following week (another long wait to get through) and still no appointments but this time I was sent a link to book my own. I was sent a link for other family members too - a process which took about 15 minutes of the receptionist's time. I check every day - still no appointments. I am a carer and would need to find a way to travel an hour each way on public transport to get to my nearest vaccination centres offered by the NHS, which is not possible at the moment - so until I get a local appointment, I remain without a booster. My daughter also remains without a booster. I feel like the surgery does not care about me, my health or the impact of Covid on me and my family. Every time I asked the receptionist why I hadn't been contacted, they said they don't know. I feel sorry for the receptionists as they are clearly doing the best they can. Aside from the lack of care for my family's health, this failure to implement an effective system of contacting patients is such a waste of time and human resources. How many other people have spent time calling the surgery when we could have simply received a text link as before? How many receptionist hours are spent trying to check the system or send links? I tried to make a complaint directly, but I either have to do that in person (with a pandemic?) by phone (another hour to get through without even knowing if the right person will be there?) or via a Word document that cannot even be completed digitally, and would presumably have to be sent by post. There is an NHS England link - which doesn't work. This has generated so much anxiety for me, which is why I am writing this review. I would add that the rollout of the first two vaccinations was very good, so I am at a loss to understand what it is so poor this time.

Contacted patients directly via text to book in appointments at the earliest opportunity.

Victoria Road Surgery 2020-11-26 Person 2 5 0

Receptionists are rude and impatient. Very disappointing and disheartening experience.

Customer care training in answering phone politely.

Victoria Road Surgery 2020-10-26 Person 2 5 0

When I have ever tried calling this surgery to book a blood test or get a result or book an appointment there is always a long queue to speak to a receptionist. Being left on hold for over half an hour and then no one actually answers the phone!! Not great!

Answer the phone!

Victoria Road Surgery 2019-11-13 Person 4 5 0

I've used Victoria road surgery since I was a kid, so this must be some 30+ years. My overall experience has been "ok", but recently it has been better. There are some completely stone cold doctors at this practice, but also some very warm, funny and understanding ones (Dr McCreanor is a great doctor, who I feel very at ease with). I get it, the NHS is stressful and GP's are pressed for time for each appointment, but if you can't show even an ounce of compassion and shrug your shoulders at me when I mention that I have an ear infection, it's really off putting. The appointment system as mentioned by others, really isn't great. The online appointment system for instance has no slots available 90% of the time, or when some DO show, they're over a month away and always with the stone cold doctors I mentioned earlier, so I end up not booking. Another issue I find is that if I ask for an appointment for a weeks time for results of a test, one receptionist will say no, you have to come in on the day, before 8am to see someone, whereas another will book it right then and there, without issue.

Victoria Road Surgery 2019-09-20 Person 0 5 0

I joined Victoria Road surgery because the Durrington site is convenient and has good disabled parking. I called today to book a flu jab and was told they could only offer me ONE date at Durrington, which happens to coincide with a holiday, so I could not attend on this date. I was told that no other dates were available for my age group, so I could either attend at Victoria Road or go a pharmacy. It is absolutely ridiculous that only one date could be made available for Durrington patients when booking this early. And to be told to go to a pharmacy makes me wonder what services a GP surgery is able to provide. Victoria Road Surgery seems to be run for the convenience of the staff rather than to provide a service to patients. If I arrive at Victoria Road and find the disabled parking occupied, I will have no choice but to cancel my appointment at short notice, which will inconvenience everyone. I am extremely disappointed by this poor quality of service.