Hello...Is There Anybody There?
I am happy in general with my health care in the UK and I could not afford private health care(even if I wanted)and I know the problems this raises in many countries so my little gripe here is nothing in comparison.
I think that I have mentioned this before but today was by far the worst.
I could probably officially complain but as I get on well with my Dr's and all the staff at the local surgery, all that may do is sour a good relationship.
I'm not saying that everyone is financially poor, that all older people are confused and so on but to get an appointment by phone is a problem.
A few years ago...you phoned the local surgery and if the line was busy, you put the phone down and called again until you got through but at least if the line was engaged, you were not charged, only when you talked to a person at the other end did it cost you anything.
Then the surgery(and many others have)introduced a centralised computerised number that puts you through to the surgery, you are informed that it is a busy time and they ask you(if your call is not important to call back later otherwise to hang on)your call is acknowledged and you are told every so often how many calls are ahead of you. It is still cheaper to stay on the line and wait your turn.
Unfortunately, today and maybe this is a new idea...you could make the initial call and be passed to the surgery but instead of then waiting for an answer there was an automatic message saying to call back and you were cut off immediately. So you had to redial and every time you reconnect, you are charged and as that initial connection can cost approx 25p for any part of of the first two or three minutes if you are using a mobile phone and slightly less on a land line, it can become quite expensive.
It took approx twenty phone calls to get through and finally wait my turn and in the end I was running two phone lines until one connected and kept me online and did not disconnect. I had to because in the time I redialed, someone else could be nipping in ahead of me.
The appointment was thankfully available and made very quickly once you reached the person answering the phone so it is not their fault but I suspect it took approx ten to fifteen minutes to get an answer and cost approx £3-£4.
I would phone later in the day but when you know that the Dr you wish to see is only on for morning surgery and it starts early and you have to phone in on the day at 8am you have no choice.
You are unable to phone days in advance so you are always caught in the queue and will always have to phone at this early hour.
I think that I have mentioned this before but today was by far the worst.
I could probably officially complain but as I get on well with my Dr's and all the staff at the local surgery, all that may do is sour a good relationship.
I'm not saying that everyone is financially poor, that all older people are confused and so on but to get an appointment by phone is a problem.
A few years ago...you phoned the local surgery and if the line was busy, you put the phone down and called again until you got through but at least if the line was engaged, you were not charged, only when you talked to a person at the other end did it cost you anything.
Then the surgery(and many others have)introduced a centralised computerised number that puts you through to the surgery, you are informed that it is a busy time and they ask you(if your call is not important to call back later otherwise to hang on)your call is acknowledged and you are told every so often how many calls are ahead of you. It is still cheaper to stay on the line and wait your turn.
Unfortunately, today and maybe this is a new idea...you could make the initial call and be passed to the surgery but instead of then waiting for an answer there was an automatic message saying to call back and you were cut off immediately. So you had to redial and every time you reconnect, you are charged and as that initial connection can cost approx 25p for any part of of the first two or three minutes if you are using a mobile phone and slightly less on a land line, it can become quite expensive.
It took approx twenty phone calls to get through and finally wait my turn and in the end I was running two phone lines until one connected and kept me online and did not disconnect. I had to because in the time I redialed, someone else could be nipping in ahead of me.
The appointment was thankfully available and made very quickly once you reached the person answering the phone so it is not their fault but I suspect it took approx ten to fifteen minutes to get an answer and cost approx £3-£4.
I would phone later in the day but when you know that the Dr you wish to see is only on for morning surgery and it starts early and you have to phone in on the day at 8am you have no choice.
You are unable to phone days in advance so you are always caught in the queue and will always have to phone at this early hour.
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 8:35 am
4 Comments:
I'm not sure that all the hoohah works better than before or not...some say yes asome say no. I read yesterday an interesting article (and commented on it, there were some good comments) by Dr Teck Khong, he's a Conservative and it's on the Conservative Home site (not Conservative Party) Gildy...there's no problem but I thought I'd give you fair warning!
HERE
word verification: barebat
Yes, an interesting article and you do wonder what we will end up with...
The woman who is in charge of reception at my Doctor's surgery has a reputation far beyond her area of control. Even the nurse who looks after my diabetes says she's impossible to work with.
Until last year the system was simple, you could turn up any time between 4 and 7 p.m enter you details on the self-service computerised system and wait - providing there were enough slots left that day. Now you have to phone after 8:30 a.m but before 9:30 a.m and you can't be seen by anybody on the same day after noon. It's bonkers.
Paul,
We've virtually just been given back two later surgeries on week nights and though some restrictions exist there is an hour on a Saturday morning.
There is one receptionist that at our surgery who seems to be similar to who you mention and it is always better when she is not on duty. She seems awkward even when there is no need to be.
It is difficult to get appointments on the same day, though it is possible if you will take any Dr and time they tell you to take.
But usually you they will not allow advance bookings and we have to phone between 8am-8.30am to be sure that you'll see who you wish and secure a same day appointment.
Now the same surgery runs a satellite service in a village nearby...there villagers can turn up on the day and wait your turn and everyone will be seen that turns up. This happens on two days and most are happy with that arrangement, otherwise they have to phone in like us and come to the main surgery. And yet recently a handful of anonymous villagers with an axe to grind have been complaining and spoiling it for the majority who are happy.
Your experiences suggest similar problems of getting an appointment are being experienced across the UK.
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