Iridium Medical Practice

Good

Good

Excellent

Patient getting blurred vision, feeling tired, exhausted, dry mouth, feeling sick, received call from doctor only to be told OVER THE PHONE without any physical check, there is nothing wrong with me. Doctor was very rude, not understanding and made me feel worse (baring in mind I have a mental health history) the surgery has alot of locol doctors and you will be lucky to be seen by the same doctor twice, reception don't help with anything and seem lost themselves. I have changed my surgery and seeked legal advice on the treatment received from Dr

On several occasions I have had this surgery tell me of policies that contradict NHS policies. What's worse is how the reception staff insist on the policies even after being told NHS policies or recent change in laws. They then react to me like I was informing them of something outlandish or absurd.

For example, last year in June, they tried to charge me for requesting access to my medical records. When I reminded them that the law states that patients have a right to access their records free of charge, they argued "not in this surgery" and justified it by stating "every surgery has different policies but this is, and always has been, our policy."

In September 2018, I moved to Eastbourne to study at Brighton University. I am back for the summer now and needed the doctor. I was refused, and so, I called my surgery (Enys Rd surgery in Eastbourne). I was told by reception staff that I can request a visitor's temporary registration but they, at Iridium, again said that they do not do this. I had to call Enys road surgery several times and eventually spoke with the manager, Rachel, who informed me that it is their contractual obligation to offer this option to me. Even after telling the reception staff, at Iridium, what I was told, they insisted that this not how it works at Iridium and that they offer no such service. They tried to use the excuse that every surgery has different policies, so I told them that I was already told that this is a policy that applies to all surgeries.

When I asked to speak to a practice manager (as instructed by the manager of Enys rd surgery), I was told that they were not in. Eventually, the staff phoned the manager, then handed handed me a form. I thought this was a temporary registration, but upon asking, they told me it was a full registration. When I called my surgery again, I was advised that if I fill that out, I would have to register all over again in Eastbourne once the new semester begins in September. I was told that I should not have to do that because I should be allowed a visitor's temporary registration. I lost at least one hour and got nowhere.

I would really like to know why Iridium staff are so ignorant about NHS policies, and yet so adamant and argumentative in upholding their illegal policies? I have asked last year, without receiving a response (despite being promised a call back), how do you justify trying to charge me for requesting access to my records?? Had I not known the law on this matter, you would have taken money off me illegally. I wonder how many people were fooled this way. How do you justify wasting more than hour of my time, and constantly sending me away?

On this occasion, I have been unable to see a doctor. Essentially, I have been refused to be seen. I felt like I got punished for being a student. I am sure I am not the only student who goes home for summer. Where are we meant to if we need a doctor?

I see specialist clinic in Nottingham every 6-9 months, I live in Birmingham. Have been trying to set up a shared care agreement and the process of receiving prescribed medication. I should have been taking medication since I left Uni of last year in June 2017 but it took between then and April 2018 just to get registered at this GP Clinic.

Since then I have been refused treatment for various reasons in the following order:
- The specialist clinic should prescribe the medication, not the GP.
- Following a letter from specialist clinic to the GP the excuse was the treatment isn't funded.
- Most recent excuse (December 2018) they don't have the training and are unwilling to help and told me no other GP will despite this specialist clinic clearly instructing the process.

I should be taking prescribed medication for atleast a year and 6 months but I haven't had any in that time because of these issues. There has been a total lack of interest in helping me.

This doesn't include the difficulty to get through via the phone to arrange an appointment or the fact that its pot luck which doctor you see. Reception staff told me a few weeks ago I can't pre-arrange appointments and upon telling them why I was trying to see a specific doctor being the reason for pre-arranging the appointment I was told it wasn't an emergency and I couldn't even ring at 8am in the morning for an appointment either.

I'm stuck in a situation where I should be receiving treatment but not and haven't been directed to a GP that will.

Very difficult to get an appointment. Reception staff is rude and think as they are doctors (ask too many questions). Phone number is always busy. Different doctors seen on all the appointments, makes it difficult for me as I have to explain everything over and over again (they never read notes and mess up with medication). Same is for nurse, she used same needle for different areas and I had to stop her.