Doctors

[jennyjoan]

Enter Further Question Details Here...

[-SharonA-]

Jenny, what's your question??

[jennyjoan]

that went through too quick.

Our doctors have changed so much I just wanted to get an opinion of yourselves.

We have two surgeries with 3 doctors and I'm told today 5,000 patients. We no longer can get an appointment after 10.30am.

I had bloods taken today and the nurse told me to make an appointment to see her in two weeks. A "not very nice" receptionist told me I had to wait 4 weeks to see her.

Also I wanted to change an appointment date with a doctor to go to another doctor. She told me this couldn't be arranged as the doctor I want to go to is off this week and her rota doesn't start until next Monday where she can try and get an appointment.

She said to ring first thing on Monday morning but one can never get through so it's best for me to physically go there.

Have got another doctor in another surgery willing to take me and I don't know what to do ie will I be walking from the frying pan into the fire per se. Thanks for any opinions.

[DTCwordfan]

Sherry anybody?

[DTCwordfan]

take the doctor in the other surgery...they don't have to be impassive or rude......

[Mamyalynne]

You would be best chatting to some patients from the new surgery to see how satisfied they are.

[jennyjoan]

Mamy - wouldn't know anybody in the new surgery.

[-SharonA-]

Hard one as the grass is not always greener. What you describe is not uncommon. I to have a rude receptionist but she did explain to you about the doctors Rota. To me the doctor is more important than the receptionist. If you are actually happy with your doctor, then don't change.

[ducksie]

Jennyjoan, I have changed my doctor a few years ago, I felt familiarity breeds contempt with the secretaries etc., I just felt i wasn't getting a fair deal and others were getting appointments ahead of me, my 'new' surgery is much better,then my late mother's doctor ignored an emergency call I made to him with regards to my mam, she ended up very ill indeed, I changed that doctor the same day on my mother's behalf, don't stay anywhere out of loyalty, it's your health and at the end of day, they are self employed and should be trying to keep you onside - my thinking would be - move to other dr, he can easily read your medical history and take it from there, good luck xx ducks

[jennyjoan]

is it common for appointments to be so early - I use to get them all the time in the afternoon but things have changed

doctors make me very nervous

[ducksie]

Can't answer that for you JJ, mine are appointments when avaible, morning or evening, I'm not afraid of the docs,just what they tell me :(
mine even sees me in an emergency, i know some people wake up feeling poorly and have to wait (in other surgeries) a week or so for an appointment, I guess I was just lucky with mine - fingers crossed it doesn't change

[ducksie]

available...where's spellchecker tsk

[fbg40]

Jenny
Have a similar quandary - Doctors at my surgery are excellent, only let down by a mediocre reception staff. Often thought about changing but will suffer the reception staff to stay with the Docs. Sometimes better the devil you know than the devil you don't. Good luck, hope things work out.
FBG40

[diddlydo]

You're lucky to actually get the chance to make an appointment. At my surgery you have to phone and tell reception what you want to talk about, then wait for a GP or nurse to call you back to have a phone conversation about your ailment. They then tell you that you don't need an appointment at all............absolutely carp!

[jno]

have you tried googling the name of the surgeries? You might find patient reviews online.

[jennyjoan]

an update - went down about 8.45am this morning to get tomorrow's appointment changed to another doctor as they wouldn't let me do it last week - told me I had to come back this week and so Bank Holiday yesterday. Asked receptionist for a new appointment - oh I am going to book you in at 9.10 on an emergency appointment this morning - my appointment was definitely an emergency. But hey //don't look a gift horse in the mouth//Goes into the "wanted" doctor at 9.10 - she says to me this shouldn't have been an emergency and I told her I never wanted an emergency. Oh well you should have gone to the tomorrow's doctor. Then proceeded to go through the computer. I was trying to justify some medication that they have cut from me but to no avail.

Now do doctors want patients or not. I give up!

[jennyjoan]

sorry for being longwinded - but I do think the problem is the same staff and doctors flitter from the two surgeries and I personally think they don't know what the other is doing - even tho it 's up on the computer

[jennyjoan]

^^^^^ sorry "my appointment was not an emergency"