SHP - Shirley Medical Centre

I needed a referral as I found a lump in my breast. I waiting over 1 1/2 hours to speak to the appointments team. This is NOT good enough. They say that you should see a doctor and don’t put it off, how are we supposed to do this if you don’t have the people on the phone to talk to?? I couldn’t use any other service and I’ve had breast cancer before so I had to stay on hold as I am worried about this new lump. What are you doing about your terrible service??

Can’t get through on phone, start off as 59 in the queue and 10 minutes later you’re 65. I’m now in a ‘waiting list’ for a smear

I always just get telephone consult no matter what the issue is and prescribed pills without ever having an examination. It took over 6 different meds to clear my asthmatic episode which turned out to be a major respitory infection diagnosed privately in the end.

My daughter was diagnosed with endometriosis and polyps back in July. Each gp she spoke to said they would refer her urgently. Nothing came from this so in desperation I loaned the money and went private to Parkway where she had the upmost care and an urgent operation. She is 24yrs old and had this been left she would have had to have a complete hysterectomy and removal of her bowel. At present we are awaiting biopsy results.
For all of the above we intend to seek legal advice.

Online request takes a while to be acknowledged. Then you may or may not get a call from a gp in 2 or more days.

Can’t fault the doctors, when you can get to speak to them, but waiting on the phone for hours is quite unacceptable but a regular occurrence.

I have no concerns with the Doctors, nurses or receptionist staff within this service.
However I do have concerns in the new phone systems out in place to access a doctors appt, it took me two hours to get an appt. you have a cqc rating if outstanding which is a shame that these new changes will impact in this as it cannot be considered as a responsive service. Access to services since changes has been poor.

I like many others pay for the nhs and get near to none actual service
To try and get through to actually speak to someone your waiting time can be up to and over an hour at the persons expense (phone bill) to be told there’s no appointments and to ring again tomorrow to which it starts all over again
Then it’s speaking to someone to see if you need a call (not an appointment)
If and when you do you have to got through it all again of what you’ve said to the first person (repeating yourself)
Some people (I myself being one) want to speak privately to the actual doctor as in one to one not one to two
A phone call two hours later may not be good enough if that person is on the edge if doing something
Not happy with the service
And don’t know what is actually going on as not kept informed about the surgery

Often spend hours on hold, can only get to see a dr if it’s regarding one of my babies, no consistency in drs seen for long term medical issues. Surgery has been closed the majority of the pandemic leaving me not knowing who to call, Solihull hospital shut. My dad who is also registered here is delaying following up on severe health issues because it is SO difficult to get an appointment and just speak to someone. When I got through last week I sat in 2 different ques?! Then when I got a prescription for my 11 month old over the phone to be sent direct to my nominated pharmacy, she then called back to say she had accidentally printed it and could I drive to grove road surgery to get it! Luckily I drive and I’m on mat leave so had the ability to do this, but grove road is far away and not easily accessible to everyone in Shirley especially the elderly. It’s just a shambles. You should be truly ashamed SHP for making this a worse system than it already was. I dread to think who is running this show.

Received a telephone call which I missed. Doctor left a message re my blood test results and ask me to ring surgery for a telephone consultation! Phoned was 30 in que waited until answered. After explaining why I rang operator said I had to be transferred . Transferred 40 in que , got to 30 in que and got disconnected !! Gave up !!