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.

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

Yes, funny that. Because all NHS GPs who diagnose viruses are just shysters trying to - what? - save the Chancellor money? ensure everyone dies of sepsis?

Or could it be that NHS GPs are trying to ensure that they did not give antibiotics for viral illnesses because - thanks to antibiotic resistance - we are very close to returning to the days when a small scratch or a minor operation can be fatal? And we are learning more and more about personal antibiotic resistance - if you are given antibiotics, a second course within 6 months is less likely to work. And we are learning more about the risks of antibiotics - in the last few weeks, for example, a study has shown that even a short course in the months preceding chemo can make chemotherapy less effective.

And yes, sometimes we get it wrong because there are no tests that 100% reliably distinguish viruses from bacterial infections. But ask yourself whether you would rather live in a world without antibiotics - because that is where we are heading really, really fast. I am 49 and I expect to be unable to have a hip or knee replacement in my 60s or 70s because it won't be safe to have any elective surgery by then - there won't be any antibiotics to treat post-wound infections. But sure, NHS GPs not giving you antibiotics is just because we're twats, right?

Trust me, it's a fuck of a lot easier just to give patients an amoxicillin prescription to keep them happy. That's why private GPs do it. But it's not good medicine.

Yes. We’re overrun with nurses in the UK.

I would say we are running at a 100% increase in workload since I started in the NHS, and it was tough even back then.
Changes come so thick and fast and the amount we are expected to do with the same or less budget goes up and up.
Every general practice I know is understaffed in reception, admin, management and clinic.
At my practice we spend all day, every day working creatively and often way above our pay grade to take care of patients.
We try to provide everyone a personalised service and we manage this a lot of the time, but if the majority of patients didn't work with us, and learn how our processes work, we'd be completely and utterly screwed.
Luckily, the vast majority do, which gives us the extra time in the day to look after the 50 odd people each day who won't or can't work with our system.
I used to live in a country with private healthcare, and it certainly wasn't a better service.

And although you get some bad apples, everyone who works in a practice is a patient somewhere too, so we do understand how it feels on the other side.

I work in a GP surgery Op (not reception thank God) and you you do sound a bit like hard work, but I do have some sympathy. The surgery don’t actually really need your NHS number to register you. Provided you fill in the rest of the registration form (including previous address and previous GP) the system should be able to find you easily enough - hardly any of our new patients put their NHS number on the form. They should also receive the discharge letter for your baby with the NHS number on it.

As regards the rest of your complaints, I think the problem often lies with patients not knowing how the appointment systems work. They are often very complex. For example, with us nurse clinics like smears and baby Imms are on the system much further ahead than the GP appointments. We have one day a week when all GP appointments are book on the day, but the rest of the time we can sometimes have a three week wait (always an on the day clinic for urgent appointments). Nurses and doctors get sick too, and this obviously impacts on available appointments. The computer systems for producing the pathology forms can go down centrally, which the individual surgeries can do nothing about. The appointment procedures are constantly being tweaked to try and make things work better for patients and clinicians.

In the midst of all this are the receptionists. They are expected by patients (and GPs) to work miracles. Patients expect them to conjour appointments up out of thin air, clinicians are always complaining that they’ve done this and that wrong. The procedures and protocols are constantly changing and they have to keep on top of this. 95% of the patients are brilliant, 5% are absolutely not. They are sworn at and screamed at, and are paid little more than minimum wage. Yes, you get the odd miserable ‘dragon’, but most of them are on your side and want to help you. I have huge respect for our receptionists, they are a fab bunch of women (frankly, no men would put up with the crap they take for the money they’re paid, but that’s another story).

I don't think GPs are twats but I do judge them. What's the point of them? And as for all the heroes of the NHS bullshit, every person who works to cover up the negligent filth that kills people, are as guilty as the management. They are so busy saying look at me Im a hero they forget that if intolerable work conditions were not tolerated, things would change. Heors are just covering the cracks and killing people with their misguided pride.

Sorry - I agree with Soontobe60 -

Follow the procedure.
Remember the receptionists have hundreds of patients some of whom are very ill indeed and need urgent appointments.
Ideally wait 6m for a smear test - unless there is a medical reason why you can't.
Why would you say they are pretending to work. That is rude, dismissive and probably inaccurate.
If you treat others with respect and consideration there is a better chance that you yourself will be treated the same.

This thread demonstrates just perfectly why NHS primary care is finished and no one wants to be a GP or PN for love or money

wow OP.
From your first post I though you may have a point, but could see both sides - the waiting 15-45 minutes is not unusual, as Pp have said, and other people being seen is becuase they are booked in to another GP.
So i think YABU on those counts, but the receptionists souns unhelpful and 2 cancelled appointments is frustrating.

But you subsequent post are just awful;.
Can you not see how rude you sound, how entitled, how high maintenance? If you spoke to any receptionist like that I am not surprised they were unhelpful.

Making your voice heard is NOT the same as being rude and sarcastic.

Thank you everyone for taking time and reply. I'm appreciating all the reply, regardless. I said I'm working in a customer facing role, I'm dealing with angry or upset people every day. I'm leaving my personal problems at the door, and honour my job. I'm putting myself in their shoes, going the extra mile, bending rules, squeezing them even on my lunch break when necessary, coming in on my day off because they'll refuse to deal with someone else and start all over again. I know what 5 stars customer service is. I'm always reassuring my customers if there's a delay and I'm caught with a complex case. I'm treating them with respect, each individual has a different story. Your job is a job, no one cares what your personal life is like, you need to be your best self.
I arrived here eight years ago, working from day one and paying my taxes. I've rarely used gp services apart from cervical screening which is once in 3 years and one blood test. So now, that I'm going more often, everything is clear to me. I was appalled by the service at the reception, because I want to be treated with respect.

Bullocks

This is my first complaint ever, and I'm proud. Being a bit left handed, but growing strong.

Well, OP, I hope you can move to a GP where the staff are all as five-star fabulous as you. Because when you put it like that, why isn't everyone so amazing? It's almost like there must be other factors at play. If only someone had tried to explain them on this thread. Never mind, you carry on...

I work in a surgery part time whilst I'm studying im unsure about some of the points as obviously things are done differently. We take the registration forms and say you will be registered in 1 week. Lots of adults dont know their nhs number and I've never known it to be a problem but they do need to for babies as sometimes when they search they might have been registered as baby mothers maiden name. Zou also cant book an appointment until you are on the system so that's why we explain to patients to ring us after one week to arrange. The waiting times is because the doctors are running late this generally happens because the patient has more complex problems that cant be dealt with in 10 mins /the doctor need to admit then so has to make phone calls ect , emergency situation present at the surgery that needs to be seen now ( we do update patients in the waiting room that the doctor Is running late). I think the other people going In would be seeing someone else they will have a oncall doctor so if someone walks In and says they need to be seen as an emergency we take the details and pass it to the oncall doctor and they advise us what to do. Sometimes they say tell them to wait and we will see then now sometimes they give an appointment time to come back at. The smear im unsure about but I imagine it's the nurse that is giving the receptionist the details as that's what usually happens so you could certainly ask for clarification from the nurse about this. There is certainly no excuse for the receptionists to be rude to you and absolutely complain about that. At my work place all calls are recorded and listened to at random and we are on CCTV so if your surgery is the same they will find the call and hopefully the receptionist can receive some more training on customer service. I just wanted to finally say that the way the appointments are opened up ect are all organised by the partners in the practice and the practice manager so the receptionist cant get around that unfortunately and often we feel awful saying I'm sorry all the available appointments for the next 2 weeks are gone please try and call back but there is often nothing to book into which is frustrating for everyone.

OP, just a reminder that having to wait is the norm unfortunately. When DC1 was a baby there was a nurse that would come 2 hours late, never apologising and then you would have to wait because "there is not hot water".

But the receptionists can't bend the rules- no matter how helpful they're willing to be, they can't conjure up extra GPs and nurses to see you or your kid. They did squeeze you in though, despite the kerfuffle surrounding the NHS number.

There's virtually always delays so they probably didn't think they should mention it or that you'd be unaware that's the case. Also they won't and can't tell you why someone who is a walk in is prioritised for obvious reasons, nor can they go to every person and mention that there's been a delay as they'll little control over what's going on.

They do sound fairly disorganised, but it's hard to say if it's simply something lost in translation or bad management or both.

However, virtually everyone here pointed out that they were right about the smear test.

I don't think GPs are twats but I do judge them. What's the point of them

80-90% of all healthcare happens in primary care. GPs do 10-15 times the volume of emergency/urgent care, compared to A&E departments, and almost all planned (non-emergency) care. And they do it with 8% of the NHS budget.

You don't hear much about it because it's not sexy. Also good primary care does a lot of preventative work- most people don't understand that. For example the rates of heart attacks have plummeted in recent years and it is believed that at least half the reduction is due to GPs & practice nurses but, of course, all the headlines were about the hospital side of things.

Tons of international evidence that strong primary care is essential to good populations. You'll miss us when we're gone but we are voting with our feet. Some of the posters on this thread illustrate why.

Being a bit left handed

What the hell does that mean?

I work in nhs primary care. The service is on its knees. There is no excuse for the rudeness at all but the rest is just institutionalised shitness because there's not enough staff, the computer systems are poor, the processes are laborious and there is constant change management which leaves staff feeling exhausted and demoralised. I suspect the rudeness comes as a defence mechanism, we know we're not doing what people deserve but literally can't do any more. And there is an almost constant drip feed from above that if we worked a bit harder then the nhs wouldn't have all these issues.

Or the staff might be genuinely awful.

But either way, complain. Complain via pals. The nhs listens way more to patient complaints than anything else.

What are you on about now. Your rambling on about being left handed & proud to complain about receptionists pretending to work... even though they weren't actually pretending. If they were dealing with you then is that not classed as them working. Lots of their work will involve looking at a computer screen. I'm sure they would love a cheeky wee game of solitaire. Hope your complaint is resolved with the 5 star service you expect or you could always complain about that too.

I used to be a receptionist at a GP surgery and I can assure you I never pretended to work. People were always ready to have a go at you about anything. You were always wrong even when it had nothing to do with you. I was shouted at, abused, sworn at, intimidated and insulted every single day. It's a horrible job. I was paid pennies for it. I can tell what sort of patient you are op.

Having read your most recent posts Op, I’ve changed my mind. You’ve said you appreciate the replies, but don’t seem to have taken any of the explanations on board, just told us all how brilliant you are at your own job. Nobody claims Primary Care is perfect - it’s under-funded like the rest of the NHS. A number of us have tried to explain to you how complex the appointment systems can be and that it’s not always clear to patients.

Also appointments can unfortunately run over time. Would you rather that a doctor tells a suicidal patient or someone who has come in with ‘indigestion’ that in fact turns out to be a heart attack, that their ten minutes are up and they need to book another appointment in two weeks time? Things like this happen all the time op. Ambulances have to be called. GPS have to do emergency referrals and sometimes fight to get patients admitted as emergencies.. Practice nurses get called on to do urgent ECGs in the middle of their clinics too. One day it could be you or your loved one that needs that extra time op.

Oh, and yes that receptionist really was working on the computer. They have to multi-task too. Most of them do more than just book appointments and check patients in. Most of them also bend over backwards to help patients..

Good luck with your new practice. Based on what you’ve said here, I’m sure they’re going to love you.

Sound like the ones at my surgery. I swear they think they’re doctors just because they sit near doctors. Er no dear, you’re not 🤦‍♀️

All of those of you slagging off staff in surgeries don't seem to realise that they are an essential part of the GP service? And no, OP, I a man not a receptionist. I am a teacher who has to put up with some extremely unpleasant parents on a weekly basis if they do not get their own way every time they rock up at school demanding preferential treatment. Actually, they sound a bit like you.

onion I'm a practice nurse with a first class honours degree in addition to all my professional qualifications, so far from 'thick.'
Just to clarify though you only need to wait 12 weeks post natally for a smear, absolutely no need to wait for six months. National guidelines.