Great difficulty getting an appointment
Tried to make an appt online. System not working. Called surgery. Explained that I was experiencing bad side effects from medication. Offered an appointment over two weeks away or call at 8.30 following morning which I did. Had to keep redialling 5 times before I got into a queue waiting about a minute each time listening to a recorded message before being told to call back later. Eventually after about half an hour got through to be told no more appointments available and to call again tomorrow. Asked what if I can't get an appt tomorrow? Just told to try again tomorrow or they would.offer an appt in May three weeks away. Poor instructions on their website re booking an appt on line. Took me an hour and a half from start to finish and eventually secured an appointment on line for a telephone consultation in over two weeks time. I was told by the GP who prescribed the medication to get in touch straight away if the side effects were unmanageable but I have to wait over a fortnight with no advice given in the meantime. Some reception staff seem poorly trained and only have one aim which is to get you off the phone. No choice given for times for calls from GP. I don't know how people who work manage to make an appointment at all taking into consideration the amount of time it takes to make an appointment. And for people with no access to the internet their chances of making an appt must be very limited. There were no issues with making an appt when the surgeries were separate. It is more than disappointing that so much money has been spent on this new building only to find that the service to patients falls short of what is acceptable. Two systems for making appts which are not synchronized. Phone or V Consult. Problems getting logged onto V consult were understood by reception staff who were reluctant to provide the information I need to get logged on.