A woman discusses the challenges she has faced communicating with the surgery to get appointments due to phone lines being busy and feeling discouraged to use the services, she also describes a very welcome home visit from a GP and challenges of phone consultations. 

Can you tell me a little bit about your experiences of using B V services recently? Well, it seems to take a long time to answer the phone if the answer at all. Uh, it can take up to 40 minutes and then they said they'll ring back and they don't always ring back on the same day. So it's It's very difficult trying to get through it, especially if it's urgent. And it's not just like, yeah, well, you can't even get through to the receptionist

That seems to take forever. And then you've got to wait for their permission before you can get a telephone consultation with the doctor. But, um, we had one that was very good

He actually came up on the same day to to do a visit, a home visit, which is a miracle, because normally they said, Can you bring him down and he's disabled and you can't really get him anywhere quickly. So it was, um I was very pleased with that one, and I want him back. Was a GP at the practise just visiting them

Oh, I don't know. I don't know how long he was there for. Have you not seen him again

And so when you finally get through to someone to make an appointment, you get a choice of who you want to see. You just you just just a doctor will phone you right, and they don't tell you it is. Well, sometimes they do

Sometimes they just say it will be later today, but it's very rare that they tell you a time, and it is that time. We've had some and it's been, uh, we thought at such and such a time, and it's been like two days later. Well, sometimes it's basically been over prescriptions, so we've managed to cope with that

But, um, no. Sometimes it's very difficult. It's not easy

And you're just tired, aren't you? This is the worst part about it. Nobody wants to tell you what time they're going to be because they're not bothered that, you know, you could be sat there for days waiting to see what's going on. What about isn't a lot of choice, is there No, And have you been given any other options to book appointments, or is it just just got nice? Doctor said

If you need anything, ring me. Do you know how long it took last time? And he said, Oh, I'm sorry, he said. It's reception because they think they run it, don't they? They delay things, don't they? So we just have to wait

And when you have conversations with your reception staff, how what are the conversations like? Are they friendly? Are they effective? Well, some aren't too bad, but I think they're just putting you off sometimes, you know? Well, we'll just get your telephone consultation. But that's not good, is it when you need something? But like the day I waited 40 minutes, Um, he did ring back pretty quickly, and when I explained everything he said, I think we need a home visit, which was wonderful. I thought I thought I might just have to go and get a prescription, but that was good once

And these telephone visits is that new since the pandemic. And have you been offered any face to face appointments since then? Been on the phone apart from when he came home, they said, Yeah, but how can how can they tell you? I phoned up my doctor and I got a telephone consultation, he said. Oh, I think you've got a chest infection

But how did he know? Over the phone. So you just sent me some antibiotics and they were not brilliantly. No

I could have done with another law. And what stopped you bringing back? Wasting half an hour, three quarters of an hour on the phone, I thought, No, I'll just call up. Just keep taking the cough medicine

So you say that this waiting around and difficulty puts you off? Yeah. Yeah, because everybody puts you off, but they don't want to see you. I should have had a blood test last year, but they no vials and I don't know if they've got any yet, but they've not phoned me back

And this is from a boat when they deliver on, not files were in September. Nothing. Yeah

Yeah. So communication is not the easiest. No, no, no

11 doesn't know what the other arm is doing, is it? Is there anything else? Can't think of anything. I happened. OK, that's great

Thank you very much for your time..

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