Very poor communication
I left the practice because they were so hard to communicate with. I got used to them regularly failing to act on email prescription requests, and would typically have to go in person to the surgery to sort things out. I did get an appointment with a Physician Associate about my eczema. She told me the Dermatology Department had long waiting lists so she would just seek advice from them and with luck they might want to se me. I asked around and found other dermatology departments had much shorter waiting lists and phoned to ask if I could be referred there instead. The switchboard staff said they would pass teh message on to the secretaries. I phoned each day that week - no information. I had such serious symptoms that I phoned 111 and got a telephone appointment with Wake Green. I checked with the receptionist after several hours had elapsed as to whether a call was booked - yes it was. And they advised me to raise the issue of a referreal to another hospital with the GP. When he did phone, he dealt with my original concern by advising me to book blood tests with the nurse. Concerning a referral elsewhere he was adamant that I should stick with UHB as a request for advice had already been sent; we might as well wait and see what they had to say, and could deal with it when I gotmy blood results; a referral would take 2 weeks in any case. I was so angry that he was so indifferent to finding me an appointment where I would be seen quickly that I decided to change practices. Over a week later, I got a notification dated 31 May (5 days/3 working days after this phone consultation) that I had been referred to the dermatology department that I had requested. If Wake Green only had the means to communicate with me when I tried to communicate with them things might have gone a lot better. As it is, I've moved to a practice which does keep in touch with me, which actualy seems to care that I should have good and timely care. People do get used to poor service, and I certainly had.