Poor experience and excessive wait times
This is an email I sent to SHP. So far no response, not even an acknowledgement beyond and automated reply. On Wednesday, 4 November 2020, admin.shp@nhs.net wrote: To SHP Leadership I would like to complain about the difficulty I am having with what should be a straightforward procedure. I h ave recently been diagnosed with MND and require blood tests once a month. There have been a number of issues : 1. When I first tried to arrange a blood test via SHP I was told you couldn’t do them and they needed to be arranged through the hospital. I had to get my Specialist Nurse involved despite SHP having all of the information regarding the shared care plan. I then had to phone SHP again and was finally successful in booking an appointment. This is not straightforward as you know. Firstly I have to phone the call centre, wait in a queue for 40 minutes only to be transferred to another “navigation” queue. Another 40 minute wait. 2. I assumed that as I need these test monthly I would be able to book my next appointment when I had my bloods taken. Apparently not. The nurse was very apologetic but explained that she could only book 3 weeks in advance! I would have to go via the call centre each time. 3. I therefore decided to use the secure form request on the web site. I filled in the details and today received a text message from Dr Simon Green with a link to a blood test form. It explained that you have a phlebotomy clinic at Monkspath ( I was aware of that) and to contact reception ! No contact details were provided and so it was back to the call centre queue. The woman who took my call had no idea why I had been asked to contact reception and said it was a “miss communication”. She then transferred me to navigation. Another queue and finally I can book an appointment. I do not think it unreasonable for me to be able to book repeat appointments without the need to go through this lengthy and frustrating process each time. All I would like to do is when I have a blood test to be booked in for my next appointment in 4 or 5 weeks time. Instead I am faced with a ridiculous system which requires me to wait in 2 queues each time. Please can you look at what can be done to bring about an improvement. Your answer service makes reference to callers getting aggressive with staff. While I agree this is not acceptable it suggests very strongly that there are serious problems at SHP which need to be addressed. Regards Antony Lloyd