The Old Priory Surgery

It's horrible ever since my regular doctor left. Since he's left I can't get anything, having to beg for everything and chase to see what I can have. I'm always chasing which is frustrating. Trying to get through at 8:30am to make and appointment and you can't get through.

They seem to be blaming everything on covid and waiting times are far too long.

They let you into the surgery now without having to buzz in. Theres long waits on the phones and when you do get through it feels like you are disturbing the receptionist, the receptionist is awful. Last time the doctor
sent a text message to tell me to arrange an appointment for blood tests but the receptionist said they could not arrange one.

No online appointments have been available for weeks and after 5 days of trying Mon- Fri last week I’ve not been lucky enough to secure an appointment

Both my partner and I were sent appointments for all three jabs in a timely manner. Excellent service at the vaccination Centre from reception staff through to nurses providing the jabs.

Almost impossible to get an appointment. Have to phone at 8.30am, along with everyone else, hold in long queue and often then find all appointments are gone for that day. No option to book a future appointment for non-urgent issues. The system is inconvenient, unhelpful and puts patients at risk as there are simply not enough appointments to meet demand even when the patient needs to be seen urgently.

The permanent staff are all great. Drs and receptionists. Had problems with getting appointments sometimes but if it's urgent they will usually call me the same day. Doctors are always very kind and helpful. Locums are not always very good though. The nurse who did my smear however, around Feb/March 2020 was extremely rude - told me off that my test was overdue, it wasn't (!), and told me I'd come at the wrong time of the month (they rescheduled, and my period had finished 4 days before). She was telling me off while I was half naked. She said there was no way they'd be able to test the sample, but they did. I had never seen her there before so I hope she was temporary.

Unable to get a face to face appointment, was told on 2/8/21 they had no Gp in on that day, and after being on the for over 40 minutes again today, only to be told, they once again had no Gp on the premises. I'm sure this shouldn't be allowed to open without a Gp. I can't understand why GPs are not doing face to face, but the nurses and health care assistant have been seeing patients all the way through the pandemic. Do they not matter.

No service

The service itself is effective, overall the lead GP and administrative staff try their best. But it is largely manned by locum GPs and Agency Nurses. One of the GP's is extremely rude and threatening, to the point she believes she can tell patients to shut up. The surgery do not handle complaints effectively. There is no Duty of Candour Process, no option to discuss/diffuse the complaint and no apology for poor experience.