Our GP surgery has an on the day only policy. You ring at 8.15am and if you are one of the first people to get through you get an appointment that day. There's no negotiating over time - you get given a time and if it's not suitable you have to call the next day (the only allowance they make is that they give you time to get from home to surgery). It's a stupid system that means if you, or your child, need to see the GP you need to have the whole day available as your appointment could be 8.30am, 11.30am or 4.30pm! The only thing you could ask for was an appointment with a specific Dr if they are in that day or for a female GP if you want one.
They've now decided that because some Dr's are more popular than others that you'll just get an appointment with whoever is available. No choice on who.
Now, many years ago one of the GP's - who has the most appalling manner you've ever come across - was so rude and dissmissive that they missed something when I was telling them my DDs symptoms. My DD was later bluelighted to hospital. It's not just me saying that they were partly to blame - they were suspended for a month after an investigation. At a similar time they were suspended for three months for a similar incident that resulted in a death from an asthma attack in the surgery.
After the incident it was agreed that none of my family would see this GP. There was a lot of opposition locally to her returning to the practise after the death, but they did and it has been a long time. However in that time I've only seen her with one of my children once, this was an error by the receptionist, and it was awful. She was awkward and nervous and I had/have zero faith in her.
The practise manager informed me yesterday, after I asked to speak to her when a receptionist refused to allow me an appointment for my youngest DD with a different Dr that there will be no exceptions to this rule.
Surely it's in no-one's best interests that I have to see this GP? I have no faith and it can't be comfortable for her.
Also my youngest DD has a myriad of health problems (4 specialists, frequent GP and nurse visits etc) and we've always seen one of two Doctors with her. They know her, they know her conditions, they know the reasons we do x instead of y. It makes no bloody sense to see one who is going to be awkward and difficult.
There was no other surgery locally at the time that we could move too. There is now a second surgery, but they are not taking on new patients. I get that surgeries are struggling, I know they are short of doctors, but I'm not being unfair to complain about this am I? I just don't want this Dr involved in my DDs care as I just do not trust them.