SHP - The Jacey Practice

Long waiting time on the phone, put through to second tier, extremely long waiting time, only to be cut off after 45 minute wait.

Since becoming part of the Solihull Healthcare Partnership you simply cannot get through by phone to the surgery without being on hold for 1-2 hours. Calls are also regularly dropped so you may be on hold for an hour, get cut off and have to start all over again. They also seem to be in complete denial about the problems. It is an utterly ridiculous and unacceptable situation. There are, no question, some very good doctors in this practice, but they simply can’t manage the enlarged business. It is a very upsetting and dangerous situation.

For example, there was an old man outside the Haslucks Green Surgery last week, he was begging the receptionist to make an appointment for him to speak to a GP as he could not get through by phone. He was clearly unwell and distressed. She refused and told him to go home and wait on the phone for however many hours it would take to get through. It was really upsetting.

I recently had a health issue and got advised to following up with the GP for tests. I phoned to get an appointment on 15th October and was on hold for 20 minutes to get through to someone who then decided where my call should go which saw me on hold for another 30 mins so by this point I have been on hold in a call queue for 50 mins. Then when I got through to make a booking I had to be put on hold again whilst they work out the booking slots. I total I was on the phone 1 hour and 15mins which is just ridiculous and made me very stressed.
I had to go to the Monkspath surgery as my usual one in Dickens Heath is closed. I can not fault the doctors and staff I saw they were very helpful face to face.

waited a total of 1 hour 40 minutes on the telephone to make an appointment with a doctor for 2 days later!

I spent over 3 hours on the phone from one person to a 'call navigator' to then get someone who took my details to pass onto a Doctor, and this was not including the few occasions I got cut off just as I got down to no.4 in the queue from 50. Yes, 50! Just to speak to someone to arrange for a Doctor to call me back. The service has become virtually unusable and I cannot see how any efficiencies are being achieved, or if they are at what cost to providing good customer service. Used to one of the best but sadly not completely awful service

I called Jacey practice today to arrange a face to face appointment for my Mum as requested by her GP. I was 17 in the queue and waited 40 minutes then was put through to the care team and was 19 in the queue and waited a further 40 minutes to be told a receptionist would call me back next week to sanction a face to face appointment, as this was not something they could arrange without GP approval. What is going on? My Mum is 81 thank goodness I am able to wait this length of time to speak to someone, but who can? What has happened to a service which was running well? Why does my mum who lives closer to Jacey practice now have to go to Monkspath which is actually detrimental to her health as she struggles in longer car journeys. There are so many people who will go under the radar, due to negligence and lack of face to face appointments. What are our GPs doing? If not seeing patients face to face? The system is NOT working

Every time you call, make sure you have cleared plenty of time. It’s often over at an hour to speak to anyone. It never used to be like this, your new system doesn’t work. The online consultation is shocking, referred to documents I could easily google. I want to speak to a doctor not have a google search. The online consultation is difficult to navigate and I consider myself good with I.T, god help you if you are not I.T savvy. I then waited four days for any contact with a text message asking me if I still had the same complaint. The most bizarre experience, finally a GP called me and attempted to prescribe me a drug that I had purchased from the chemist. Thankfully I m was not seriously ill. Covid / or no Covid surely this is all just dangerous practice.

Unable to get through! Why are GPs on furlough!

Since the changes it’s impossible to get through and despite their Director being proud they have improved he needs to get his head out of the sand! Still 2hrs to get thru!!!

I have tried to help my elderly housebound parents access the service several times. They finally get through to the receptionist, request an appointment with a doctor, only to be put back to the end of the Queue, number 29. They are not online and are now desperate. I have given the one star to the pharmacy staff who have remained a constant throughout, so my thanks to them. Good luck to anyone expecting any other sort of service. I’ve worked at a surgery and this is no way to treat people.