SHP - Grove Surgery

We all understand the issues surrounding Covid however the wait times are totally unacceptable. Generally an hour on hold. One time recently was an hour and 15 minutes when I had to put the phone down due to commitments. Staff don’t call you back to follow things up so if there is action required you have to keep calling to continually chase things (and again hanging on phone for an hour). It often feels like a losing battle, banging your head against a brick wall and I dread to think of how many people are being forgotten about who cannot continually chase things up themselves. Not been impressed either with the doctors response or attitude, of course actually getting to speak to a doctor is almost impossible.

Left in the telephone queue 50 plus waiting absolutely awful

Irratic response times on calls, often exceeds 45 mins to answer, triage process is dangerous - unqualified people making decisions about how to deal with your problem. Call back times are rarely met, meaning you have to put hours aside to wait for a conversation with a doctor. No online appointment options and very limited chance of ever seeing a doctor. It is failing people at every stage and in particular I feel for older patients who are most in need and least likely to understand what on earth is going on. They need investigating urgently.

Getting an appointment has become very difficult as the biggest hurdle is trying to get through to someone via telephone. Tried to phone multiple times to make an appointment for my son but was unable to get thru as the recorded message stated that the call queue was to the maximum capacity and to call later. Once I managed to get through but the call was disconnected. Tried 5 times without success and gave up as couldn’t carry on doing that because of being at work. I have had good service in the past before this surgery joined the partnership and had to wait in the call queue to make an appointment but usually had success if needed a same day appointment. Personal experience with the doctors has been good but the current system is not working. I feel that it is big partnership to be managed by a single call system and perhaps Grove road, Blossomfield and Monksoath surgeries could be in one group to manage the calls etc.

Whilst appreciating the new system of triage etc which clearly doesn’t work for all SHP must be held to account by some body within NHS for their dreadful telephone system which is a joke. Cut off at 8.05 call list full.....9.10 45 minutes wait to connect then put onto the next queue 28 minutes. Another day 1 hour 7 minutes holding to speak to reception. Let’s make it our jobs to hold on for SHP eh! Healthwatch what are you doing about it?

Over an hour to talk to someone and never get an appt in person, disgusting

Tried to get through on phone on my day off t
could not get through, went into surgery as recommended on their Facebook page to be told no you have to call. Explained I can't as I'm back at work in a busy office From 8am and cannot make calls, offered no alternative. Shocking service when all I wanted was a blood test

Always very caring and efficient

Attempted to speak to a particular doctor who I had managed to get an appointment with the month before. Took an hour to get through on the phone. Asked for a telephone call back from this particular doctor. Was told she was not working together and to ring back tomorrow. I asked if said doctor would be working tomorrow and was told “I’m not sure”. Complete lack of care or understanding. Still not managed to get a phone call from this doctor.

I joined this surgery the being of last year. I have had the same repeat prescription for as number of years. They gave me the wrong dose of medication the first time and they did not believe me when I phoned back for my repeat. Also it can take over 1hour to get through