SHP - Shirley Medical Centre

My family have been with this doctor's surgery for 40 years. It has become progressively worse. I work full time and have found it literally impossible to get anyone to answer the phone. Even when the phone is answered I am informed there are no available appointments. After trying to phone the surgery for a week I gave up and drove there. I was told there were no appointments but it was best to come in personally to get an appointment. I was indeed there. But of course no availability to see a doctor. It is with regret that I have now transferred to another doctors. The whole situation is ridiculous. I have no issue with the doctors themselves.

How is this still going on? Hours on the phone (IF you can even get though to the waiting list) then weeks for a phone appointment.
This is abuse and neglect, they have known about these issues for 18 months and it’s only getting worse. It’s only a matter of time before someone dies.

As I said above 3days to finally get to speak to someone. I had had a letter to say I needed a blood test. A doctor phoned me from a surgery in Solihull Grove Rd. Never been there had to get a taxi cost £12, I could have used public transport but it is a long walk for me from bus stop as I have knee problems.

Very rarely can i ring the surgery and get into a phone queue as its always full

My first pregnancy they failed to tell me i had strep b, i only found out the results were not shared at point of booking what i thought was going to be a water birth. Due to this news i had to go to hesrtlands.

I was not referred when i logged my 2nd pregnancy at 6 weeks

I have been told il receive call back, only to get a one tone if that

I have waited for phone appointments only to then be told i shouldn't have been told its a phone appointment as i need to have blood tests

The information provided is inconsistent across staff

I raised a complaint to then be told i couldn't raise a complaint. Though conflicting details were shared in the very same email.

Call Navigators who are not medically trained should not be making decisions on whether or not you see a doctor. My relative was refused an appointment and ended up in hospital

Can't get through on the phone, Can't get appointments, Can't see a GP, When you managed to get a phone appointment they don't call you! Not very good really is it? In fact it's downright disgusting!

If you get through the likelihood of seeing a doctor is zero! Why do you have to explain to reception about your issues - it’s the doctors that’s are qualified not reception staff.

Despite all the assurances, the service is just going from bad to worse. It’s wholly inadequate for the number of patients. You can’t get hold of them on the phone as the queue is always at capacity. If you are lucky enough to get into a queue, you can be holding on for up to an hour. Online consult forms which were extremely useful (and saved the vast amount of phone calls) have now been withdrawn which has increased the phone capacity to astronomical levels. This whole system is not fit for purpose for a lot of people. It’s an absolute shambles and somebody needs to get it sorted out before there is a serious case review due to their negligence.

Holding for a call to be answered for 60 mins is unacceptable. Being answered by an unqualified member of staff and having to tell them what your medical issue is and they decide the next action, is unacceptable. Being advised there are no available appointments after holding for 60 mins and calling bang on the time they open, is unacceptable. Not receiving a callback from the Duty GP, because the process let you down and you weren't added to the call back list, is unacceptable. Receiving an 'afternoon call back' at 6.45 pm and it being too late for the GP to provide advice, support and signposting, is unacceptable. Not being able to see a doctor face to face following major surgery, is unacceptable. Feeling there is no point calling your GP with a medical issue, is unacceptable.

Despite all the assurances, the service is just going from bad to worse. It’s wholly inadequate for the number of patients. You can’t get hold of them on the phone as the queue is always at capacity. If you are lucky enough to get into a queue, you can be holding on for up to an hour. Online consult forms which were extremely useful (and saved the vast amount of phone calls) have now been withdrawn which has increased the phone capacity to astronomical levels. This whole system is not fit for purpose for a lot of people. It’s an absolute shambles and somebody needs to get it sorted out before there is a serious case review due to their negligence.