Enough is enough, gp blunders

[Meisme17]

First of all, I'm not a complainer. I'm more of a patient person, putting myself in other's shoes. But I had enough.
I've chosed this surgery for the good reviews on the NHS site. I went there to register myself and my baby. I've called in 2 weeks time to boo my 6 weeks check post natal and they says I need to give my NHS number. I've called later that day and gave it. I'm calling again to book the same appointment, the receptionist starts shouting at me that she cannot book it because she told me last week for baby's NHS number and i never got back to them. I've explained that actually she asked for mine and I did called that day and they said its fine. She was adamant saying :"no, you didn't" going on and on. At the end of the call I said :" I wish you will get the same service you deliver"...She squeezed me in the next day between appointments.
Time went, I've been having appointments and for each one of them I had to wait between 15 and 45min, the receptionist are not very helpful or informative or reassuring. They are ignoring people pretending to work on a computer screen. There were so many times that walk ins were seen before me, even I had an appointment booked and was delayed for half an hour. You all know, thing could happen.
What made me reconsider this surgery was my attempt to book my cervical screening.
The surgery is making me aware twice that my cervical screening is due. I'm finally booked. On the day of the appointment 2 hours prior I've got a call cancelling the appointment because the nurse is not in and they're offering to rebook me for next day. Next day, the same, received a call saying there is a problem printing the form for my cervical screening and they have to cancel it and rebook me in a month time because there's nothing available. I'm getting confused, how is that all booked, when you can book an appointment only one week ahead, accordingly with their policies? The receptionist is mumbling, she's saying now there is a problem with my patient acces and that a manager will call me the next day. I'm accepting this and waiting all day next day for a call. You've guess it, no one called. I'm taking the pram and went there quarter to 6 requesting some answers, they're avoiding eye contact and are talking to me starring at the screen. When I asked what is this Web of blunders and why no one has called me, one of them said, ah, just spoked with the nurse(right, she just did) and she said the online printing problem was there only because the cervical screening needs to be done 6 months after birth. Weird, I said, previous gp told me that I should get back to them in 12 weeks after birth. I want to have it done just for the peace of mind. They even told me, (looking at each other) , that there's a new regulation which stipulates it has been changed to 6 months. I said, can I have the appointment which you're offering me yesterday for next month? The receptionist said that I have to call in 2 weeks because the slot it is not available for booking. But yesterday you were offering it to me, how this is possible?! We're sorry mumbling, this is the regulation.
I've searched on NHS site and you can have the cervical screening 12 weeks after birth.
I'm pissed of, tomorrow I'm taking my Id and proof of address and I'm changing to another practice.

Could you ask to have access to your medical notes? I’m getting the feeling that the transfer from one surgery to the next hasn’t been done properly so each time they want to book you in for the smear, there is a block somewhere.

I have to say, I like my surgery and my GP. But getting any appointment is a nightmare so now I use they electronic system to book something. Much easier. (And you get to look at the information they have, which could be interesting too...)

@pinkdelight, I assumed that the OP meant they were doing their best to avoid interacting with her rather than not Having enough work and having to pretend they do have some....

I've work form day one of arriving here, paid my taxes, this makes me entitled.

It’s unusual to move quite so soon after giving birth.

Just move then.

#qualcheckboot, thank you. I would not complain if was not for my dd. I've got mad because they had delayed the immunisation for a week because the nurse was in holiday. Hooray.

I suspect your going to have issues no matter what surgery you register with. Lower your expectations & try not to be so demanding at your next surgery. Hope that helps.

They are ignoring people pretending to work on a computer screen.

Rubbish. Receptionists have loads of other work to do, apart from booking people in.

It’s unusual to move quite so soon after giving birth

This ^ is what you think the issue is here?🙄

I’d be cautious of moving drs because it will probably just be the same. Where I lived before baby the wait time was 4-5 weeks for an appointment my new surgery is 6 weeks for a routine appointment. Emergency appointments aren’t given and they don’t have a sit and wait a GP will phone you on the day if you want to be seen and advise what to do next but it doesn’t take a genius to see how overstretched they are when I phone for an appointment I’m usually “10th in queue” it can take 30 minutes to speak to a receptionist. There is 6 drs, 1 nurse, 1 midwife and because of all the new builds in the area/surrounding areas there is 18,000 patients. It is not a job I would want to do be it as a receptionist or a dr.

Sorry that should say emergency appointments aren’t given without speaking first to the GP and this can take hours also.

I am not born here. But being born or not, you understood were I'm staying.

They may be struggling to establish your right to non-emergency NHS care.

Like I said to my DH yesterday when he was moaning as we waited for the midwife past our appointment... you want a better service? Get private health care 😊

@tmh88 Thats not the same everywhere, my GP has emergency appointments on the day and if there are none left GP will ring you and decide whether you need to be fitted in!

Practice nurses are entitled to be off sick or have holidays. It’s not something to complain about.
The receptionist probably are working on their computers not just pretending to work.
Walk in patients might need to be seen first.
You might need to wait.
Try a warmer, more smiling, positive attitude towards them and you might get the same in return.

So you think the nurses should never have a holiday so your non urgent appointment isn't delayed?!

Or that it's so shocking to wait for your appointment? Not saying it's fun btw, but what's the alternative? The Dr kicks out the suicidal patient saying time's up? Or the one who's received life changing news? How about the one who simply didn't understand their treatment?

They are ignoring people pretending to work on a computer screen.

At our surgery they don't always even pretend. DS2 was unable to get through on the phone, so he walked to the surgery. Four receptionists chatting, Phones ringing, no one answering.

Highly unlikely, before someone suggests it, that they were all discussing important patient related matters.

A UK private GP appointment is about £50. I don't know why people don't pay. It's funny how when you are private, you never have a 'virus'

You sound like a bit of twat to be fair.

I hope for your sake, it isn't you or your baby that one day causes that 45 minute delay because a GP is arranging an emergency appointment at the hospital for you, or monitoring your baby whilst you wait for an ambulance, or is taking the time to actually listen and give you space to talk whilst you're suffering a mental health crisis.

Walk ins are likely being seen before you because they're either of greater need (chest pain vs routine appointment for example), or they're simply seeing someone else - a triage nurse, paramedic or pharmacist.

As for pretending to work? Turning up to complain just before closing time? This makes you sound like you're just looking for things to complain about. I expect you'd have similar issues at which ever surgery you go to because it doesn't sound as though the surgery is actually the problem.

Sorry OP, you sound like you’re the one causing the problems. And being sarky in your replies here is just making you look a twat.

Agree with this. Despite your protests about not being high-maintenance, you certainly do sound it. Complaining about the wait times being one clear example.

I also agree with a pp that your written English really isn't good and no, it actually isn't always clear what you are saying. So if your spoken English is similar it may well be a case of miscommunication.

Finally; you have absolutely no idea what the receptionists are doing on their computers but I can assure you that they do actually have other work to be doing. However, if they were indeed "pretending" to work in order to avoid interacting with you, perhaps you could ask yourself why that might be?

@HJWT just re read my post comes across like I’m taking about all surgeries 🙄 I’m just on about the one I’m registered at. what I was trying to say is that wherever you go won’t be a grand, 5 star experience so probably no point swapping surgeries if you’re expecting better service because wherever you go they’re always running late/minimal appointments! I don’t think I have ever seen a midwife/nurse/dr on time wherever I have been haha! However I would never complain about it because like I said above it’s definitely not a job I could do with the pressures.

OP I also think you sound high maintenance. You need to realise how the NHS has been run down over the last decade. It is running on good will and elastic bands.

We can't expect five star service at the moment and I'd prefer resources to go to urgent than non urgent treatments even if means you sometimes have to wait 15-45 minutes for your appointments. If you don't want to wait, have your injections done privately; there are tons of private places that do injections.

Don't complain to the receptionists or the practice manager, they can't magic appointments from nowhere. I also think your entitled attitude is pissing people off. Doesn't it occur to you that the walk ins that go in before you might be urgent: chest pains, suspected sepsis, mental health crisis etc? Do you really think your six-week check trumps those.

We can't afford a five star service in the NHS atm. This government is running it down for whatever reason, because they don't prioritise it, because they want to run it down to be taken over by their mates in the private sector, because they're spunking £1billion a month on Brexit. Whatever the reason, it's the situation, so we all have to adjust our expectations and taking it out on the staff is not fair.

Make a complaint and change surgery, what do you want people to say?

So you think the nurses should never have a holiday so your non urgent appointment isn't delayed?!

You are just trying to be plain nasty. If a nurse is on holiday the surgery should find a replacement to cover for that duration.

Billben just being sarky .

Seriously speaking, they might have some cover, but not enough for stuff like immunisations, which while important, can be delayed easily.