blackydog   40 #1 Posted October 30, 2019 Was unfortunate to need an appointment yesterday, so rang up expecting the usual 3-4 week wait but no, an appointment was available late afternoon, great. Turns up 10 minutes early and was then left sat there for nearly 50 minutes before being seen. Practically every time I go there, and it's not often, I am left waiting for a long time, with no idea when I will be seen. I have a muscle injury and have already paid for physio which couldn't identify the problem so the physio suggested seeing a doctor. Why is this service so bad? It's not like it's free, I pay a fair amount in tax and NI. I did complain but was told it was a shortage of doctors (by the doctor). Am I just unlucky? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Daven   10 #2 Posted October 30, 2019 (edited) Think you should be happy to get an appointment the same day - even though you had to wait for a while. At my GP the first hurdle is to Actually get through to the surgery, then you have to wait for a 'ring back' from a doctor who then decides if you're ill enough to deserve an appointment. THEN you have to wait for one ! It's no wonder people end up going to A&E . Edited October 30, 2019 by Daven Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
speedy69   10 #3 Posted October 30, 2019 6 hours ago, blackydog said: Was unfortunate to need an appointment yesterday, so rang up expecting the usual 3-4 week wait but no, an appointment was available late afternoon, great. Turns up 10 minutes early and was then left sat there for nearly 50 minutes before being seen. Practically every time I go there, and it's not often, I am left waiting for a long time, with no idea when I will be seen. I have a muscle injury and have already paid for physio which couldn't identify the problem so the physio suggested seeing a doctor. Why is this service so bad? It's not like it's free, I pay a fair amount in tax and NI. I did complain but was told it was a shortage of doctors (by the doctor). Am I just unlucky? You are lucky to get an appointment the same day, the last time I called for an appointment at Peaks it was 4 weeks, I declined advising the receptionist that I would either be dead or better by that time! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
blackydog   40 #4 Posted October 31, 2019 13 hours ago, speedy69 said: You are lucky to get an appointment the same day, the last time I called for an appointment at Peaks it was 4 weeks, I declined advising the receptionist that I would either be dead or better by that time! It was a cancellation. Why don't they make you aware of the delay when you sign in, instead of letting you sit there like a lemon, getting more and more wound up. I really dislike that place anyway but changing even if possible, might just be out of the frying pan and into the fire. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
BigAl1   142 #5 Posted October 31, 2019 Your expectations are what is the problem rather than being grateful that you have not had to wait 3-4 weeks you complain that your appointment that day was 40 minutes late.   Doctors do not offer guaranteed times they offer everyone the same 10 minute slot as routine and some are quicker and some shorter and due to the nature of the job they may well end up behind schedule. Now they could offer everyone 20 minute slots and then see half as many people and twiddle their thumbs or do the crossword and I bet you would you would soon be moaning about how long it took to be seen.  Now where I do think you have a valid complaint is that the reception staff do not keep you informed  No I am not a doctor and I have no connections at all with any branch of the medical profession apart from as a patient -   Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
blackydog   40 #6 Posted October 31, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, Bigal1 said: Your expectations are what is the problem rather than being grateful that you have not had to wait 3-4 weeks you complain that your appointment that day was 40 minutes late.   Doctors do not offer guaranteed times they offer everyone the same 10 minute slot as routine and some are quicker and some shorter and due to the nature of the job they may well end up behind schedule. Now they could offer everyone 20 minute slots and then see half as many people and twiddle their thumbs or do the crossword and I bet you would you would soon be moaning about how long it took to be seen.  Now where I do think you have a valid complaint is that the reception staff do not keep you informed  No I am not a doctor and I have no connections at all with any branch of the medical profession apart from as a patient -   What should my expectations be? Happy with a 3-4 week wait? Be happy that just because they have a failed appointment that I have taken, it's ok to leave me sat there for the best part of an hour? Really? The GP service at CP, is in my opinion, very poor. If I'm given a cancelled appointment at short notice I'm still expected to turn up on time, If I'm late I will face an infraction. Accepting a poor service generally means that's what you will end up with. It's not free (for me anyway) and I have little choice except to take the very expensive private route, whilst still paying for the NHS option. Edited October 31, 2019 by blackydog Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
BigAl1 Â Â 142 #7 Posted November 1, 2019 Me Me Me- Â why not take a bit of time to understand the problems that your GP faces instead of being all in a world of your own Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Pettytom   1 #8 Posted November 1, 2019 On 31/10/2019 at 13:16, blackydog said: What should my expectations be? Happy with a 3-4 week wait? Be happy that just because they have a failed appointment that I have taken, it's ok to leave me sat there for the best part of an hour? Really? The GP service at CP, is in my opinion, very poor. If I'm given a cancelled appointment at short notice I'm still expected to turn up on time, If I'm late I will face an infraction. Accepting a poor service generally means that's what you will end up with. It's not free (for me anyway) and I have little choice except to take the very expensive private route, whilst still paying for the NHS option. Maybe the delay was caused by the doctor spending more than 10 mins with some of their patients. In which case, you should be happy that you have a conscientious doctor who is thorough during consultations.  I do agree that making you aware of the delay would be helpful. I’d rather go for a stroll than sit in a doctor’s waiting room for 40 mins. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
blackydog   40 #9 Posted November 2, 2019 19 hours ago, Pettytom said: Maybe the delay was caused by the doctor spending more than 10 mins with some of their patients. In which case, you should be happy that you have a conscientious doctor who is thorough during consultations.  I do agree that making you aware of the delay would be helpful. I’d rather go for a stroll than sit in a doctor’s waiting room for 40 mins. That's not how their system is meant to work. If the consultation needs more time (non urgent) then they should book another appointment. There is the facility to book double appointments for complicated matters. The doctor "taking as long as it takes" might work for that particular patient but screws up the timing for the following 20 or so. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
BigAl1   142 #10 Posted November 2, 2019 What rubbish neither the doctor and very often the patient know how long the consultation might require in advance and unlikely that in most instance the reception could do the screening   If you want to be seen on time go for the first appointment and hope there is no emergency Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
blackydog   40 #11 Posted November 4, 2019 On ‎02‎/‎11‎/‎2019 at 10:56, Bigal1 said: What rubbish neither the doctor and very often the patient know how long the consultation might require in advance and unlikely that in most instance the reception could do the screening   If you want to be seen on time go for the first appointment and hope there is no emergency You sound like someone happy to accept mediocrity and poor service. Fortunately I am not, you live in your 1960s world and I'll strive to live in the modern one. NHS is not a free service, and it should operate professionally, in my experience it doesn't and needs a long due overhaul. Note I am also a full time worker, not like some of the malingerers you see sat in the waiting room, I can't afford to be sat around for hours (time to get there early, sat waiting, time to get back to work). In my job, I make an effort to keep my appointments, not resort to excuses.  Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
BigAl1   142 #12 Posted November 4, 2019 the acid test is how well a company or organisation does when things (as they will) go wrong  what is unforgivable is that there was no communication about the wait and indeed I was annoyed by exactly that the other week at my surgery when the delay was over an hour but I did not take to social media to complain I simply suggested to the doctor that in such situations they should ask the reception staff to communicate to arriving and waiting customers  I would agree that there is much that is wrong with the way the NHS operates and that there is certainly room for improvement. I also understand the constraints that GPs are operating under these days.  I am glad to hear you are contributing through your taxes and no doubt you will be happy for these to be increased to allow your surgery to ensure that the doctor sees you at exactly the appointed time.  BTW Far from it customer service is something that is of great importance to me and I am prepared to pay more for better service and would never even consider flying with an airline like Ryanair   Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...