How do you rate your surgery?

[jalapino]

Today I had a letter from my surgery saying they have cancelled my appointment, 1st of august which was booked 1 month ago, it said ring the surgery to make another appointment, i was trying to get through for one hour on and off, NOTHING!!!! no one picked up the phone, half an hour later a lady answered!!!
When i did get through i explained about the letter and i was told no appointment would be available for months, i told her i need this appointment as it was due to my high glucose levels and new drugs, i need to see the nurse as i still have fairly high levels, i was told to ring in a few days and to see if there was any appointment to see the dn, there was no explanation to why my appointment was cancelled, i said my levels are still high but i was told simply ring back or just wait?.....it is not her fault, but my levels have been so high surly i should been seen a.s.a.p.? i give up i said i have to have my HbA1c 3rd of august so i will ring for results 4 days later, she said ok but only if the doctor has seen it first.....i give up......so while my levels are always high i just have to sit back and wait......thankyou N.H.S 😡

 

[PattiEvans]

Is there any way you can change surgeries Jalapino? That service is terrible - how can there be no appointments for months? If I ring my Dr I get a call back from one of the Drs on triage within an hour or so and unless it's something they feel a nurse can deal with I will get an appointment that day, or perhaps the next day if I want to see my own Dr who only works part time.

 

[jalapino]

Is there any way you can change surgeries Jalapino? That service is terrible - how can there be no appointments for months? If I ring my Dr I get a call back from one of the Drs on triage within an hour or so and unless it's something they feel a nurse can deal with I will get an appointment that day, or perhaps the next day if I want to see my own Dr who only works part time.

Arhhh....you see I can ring up for an EMERGENCY appointment but that is with a doctor and in my surgery they have no idea about the big D ....as to changing surgery there are no others close to me that I no of!!

 

[LeeLee]

Complain loudly. I posted a message in Links on how to do it:
http://www.diabetessupport.co.uk/boards/showthread.php?t=38428

Good luck! If you make it formal, they have to respond.

 

[pav]

Been there, had the T shirt. Had to ring in daily to try for an appointment took hours to get through then all appointments gone.

New system was introduced recently which meant a doctor called you, but then ignored my readings saying they were ok in the 20's.

Latest one they have lost a prescription form a week ago, not issued a replacement, as they say they need to find the original one. Good job its not for any thing urgent, just one to ease allergy symptoms.

 

[Caroline]

on a scale of 1-10 my surgery is -10, but yours sounds worse. I'd suggest changing if you can

 

[jalapino]

I must do something, can't go on like this.

 

[Phil65]

I must do something, can't go on like this.

I've pm'd you

 

[PattiEvans]

Arhhh....you see I can ring up for an EMERGENCY appointment but that is with a doctor and in my surgery they have no idea about the big D ....as to changing surgery there are no others close to me that I no of!!

So where was your original appointment? At the GP surgery or at the diabetic clinic? If we are talking about the latter then I can see that it may be months before there's another appointment.

I wasn't talking about emergency appointments. I rang the Dr last Weds about 3pm for a non-urgent appointment and was given an appointment the next day at 11.30. Mind you, my GP's surgery is outstanding.

If you're really fed up with your GP surgery and there is no other around, contact them and ask to go on the Patient's panel, that way you have a say in how the surgery is run.

 

[yorksman]

I must do something, can't go on like this.

Yes you must, but don't feel bad about it. There appear to be an increasing number of GPs who see patients as interfering with the smooth and efficient running of their practice.

My brother has suffered with an unrelated problem for several years and his GP has done nothing, other than prescribe paracetamol. One evening it was so bad he presented himself to A&E and they kept him in for a couple of days. They told him to that they would write to his GP and that he was to tell his GP that they knew he had this letter. If he denied receiving it, my brother was to tell his GP that the hospital would know he was lying. They explained it was happening a lot in the Taunton area.

He asked his GP if he had received the letter but was met with a denial.

He did have the good fortune to have to go to the surgery whilst his GP was on holiday. He saw another doctor who simply shook her head and said, "right, we're going to do this properly now". She prescribed some vitamin tablets which stopped the pain almost immediately and then organised some tests at the local hospital to see what was causing the vitamin deficiency. All this during the few weeks the regular GP was on holiday.

There are good GPs out there. Find one.

 

[Caroline]

Yes you must, but don't feel bad about it. There appear to be an increasing number of GPs who see patients as interfering with the smooth and efficient running of their practice.

My brother has suffered with an unrelated problem for several years and his GP has done nothing, other than prescribe paracetamol. One evening it was so bad he presented himself to A&E and they kept him in for a couple of days. They told him to that they would write to his GP and that he was to tell his GP that they knew he had this letter. If he denied receiving it, my brother was to tell his GP that the hospital would know he was lying. They explained it was happening a lot in the Taunton area.

He asked his GP if he had received the letter but was met with a denial.

He did have the good fortune to have to go to the surgery whilst his GP was on holiday. He saw another doctor who simply shook her head and said, "right, we're going to do this properly now". She prescribed some vitamin tablets which stopped the pain almost immediately and then organised some tests at the local hospital to see what was causing the vitamin deficiency. All this during the few weeks the regular GP was on holiday.

There are good GPs out there. Find one.

I always get more out of the loccum or the drop in centre. I go to the drop in centre very early (they open at 8 my GP doesn't start till 10am I'm normally at work by 7.30) and say I am on my way to work and don't want to loose a days pay for an appointment that I might have to wait a week for.

 

[AlisonM]

I'm lucky, my surgery is really good on the whole, with only one exception and I've managed to escape her tender care now. We now have a properly qualified Diabetes nurse and most of the other nurses are great.

Appointments are sometimes hard to get, but never take more than a week and there is an emergency appointment system where you see the duty doctor as and when he/she can fit you in. I can often have telephone appointments when what needs discussing doesn't require examining me (such as discussing test results). It's one of the best I've ever been registered with. I have had problems with one of the doctors there, but as I said, I've managed to escape her now and usually get to see the Senior Partner who is excellent. Between them and the Diabetic Clinic, I think my care now is top notch.

Jalapino, I should write a letter to the Practice Manager and copy it to your PCT, outlining your problems and asking for a reasonable solution. You shouldn't have to wait weeks for an appointment when you're having such trouble with your numbers. Is there a Diabetic Clinic in the area you could attend? You could ask to be referred there since your surgery is too overloaded to cope.