Ley Hill Surgery Sutton Coldfield

It's difficult to get an appointment. You phone up and wait an hour for them to answer and even then it's hard to get an appointment. Staff are really good once you get to see them.

I made a mistake with taking medication on holiday. Contacted 2 pharmacies who said they can no longer do emergency supply as GP can send all over country. Contacted Ley Hill to be told to call 111. Contacted 111 who said the same as pharmacies. Tried to call Ley Hill again. No response after 1 hour when call cut off. Desperate at this point. Taking half dose of medication to eke it out for holiday as a consequence MS pain and mental health deteriorated. Again refused to give a week prescription. Left message on ‘ask a doctor’ saying I was struggling and would no one help me and giving the code number needed to send to the pharmacy in Devon. I then tried the online BUPA GP to get a Private Prescription but they were not able to prescribe one of my drugs. Got a response from Ley Hill saying it was with the emergency doctor. Called 111 again who said they were appalled at response from GP. They did a referral to Boots in Kingsbridge. Pharmacist called within 5 minutes. After hearing the saga he agrees to do the emergency supply though as my surgery was open and he should have the prescription. He began to ask me to contact Ley Hill again but then said that he was not going to do that as I was obviously distressed enough.
This is frightening as I have long term conditions and have no confidence in my care.

Hard to get appointment but it’s like that everywhere.

Trying to get a dr appointment at Leyhill is frustrating and near on impossible! Today I stood in a
queue of 20 listening to what should be private conversations between reception and the patients; discussing their ailments, frustrations, and some very personal issues in public. I finally arrived at the desk to be told there are no appointments left for today and to try again another day. When I explained that it is difficult to call at 8am due to work commitments, the receptionist replied “Yes, I work too”. Such empathy!!!

Come to house if I need them. Blood tests at home and they come out to see me. Deliver my tablets.

The phones get answered after some time. The ladies are very very nice on the phone. I get angry when I see a doctor and they tell me I always need medication. I have trouble with my leg.

Trying to make an appointment continues to be a challenge. It's either an attempt, in the early hours, to book online and finding no free slots within the week or 2 weeks, or a phone call from 8am with a message first telling you to ring again later unless you need an urgent appointment, followed by a long wait (eg 'you are 65th in the queue') whilst having to endure the annoying and constantly repeated warning not to be abusive to the receptionists etc. On more than one occasion, whilst really needing to 'see' a GP to be checked out I have been driven eventually to give up and self medicate, which may have prolonged my condition and certainly didn't really improve it. Or, of course, I took advice from other patients, and walked (half an hour ) to the surgery to arrive at 8am to stand in a queue of hopefuls waiting to see if I was one of the lucky ones to get a spare appointment. Not exactly what I felt like doing when unwell. I must say at this point that on the occasions I've eventually got through on the phone I've been treated very kindly and patiently. Also, on the two occasions I've actually gone to the surgery at 8am, the receptionists have also been very helpful and polite and I was lucky to get emergency appointments. But then that's not straightforward. Because, for example on one occasion I walked home - another half hour (I'm nearly 79) only to get a phone call from a doctor when I arrived home to ask me to go straight back to the surgery to be checked out! So another half hour walk there, and then back. Then there are the telephone consultations. Yes- sometimes perfectly OK, but not always appropriate if you need examining by a doctor. I feel this is a waste of the doctors' time. Surely a doctor can pick up on various points by actually observing a patient during the consultation.. Their demeanor, appearance, movements, breathing etc. ( I would have thought this would be very appropriate for patients with mental health issues). Again, when I have actually been successful to manage to see a doctor at the surgery I can only say it has been a good and reassuring experience. I've had some thorough check-ups, blood tests and follow up phone consultations. However, I feel the whole system is a complete mess and so convoluted. I fear for those who less determined and internet savvy than myself and at the same time have little confidence that the situation will improve in the future, when I too may become less able to deal with these barriers that we face at times when we are in need of help, advice and medication etc.

They are really good usually but after Covid you cannot get face to face appointments.

I submitted a set of blood pressure readings and received a text asking me to book an appointment. I called into the surgery as trying to get through on the telephone is horrendous. 'You are number 31 in the queue...' - nightmare. I was told my appointent will be a 'phone call from the GP on a date +++32 days+++ later. I'll just repeat that 32days later !!!!!!!!!!!!

Had letter from surgery asking me to make an appointment. Each time I rang was told no appointments available for nurse. Ended up going into surgery to ask for the appointment I needed.
Surgery were very helpful.