Share review of Dorking Medical Practice at New House Surgery

Dorking Medical Practice at New House Surgery 2016-11-06 Person 3 5 0

My family and I have been with this surgery for many years now and the care we have recieved from doctors and nurses has, in most cases, been nothing short of excellent. This cannot be said about the receptionists. Having a small child means that I now need on-the-day appointments more frequently, as when a toddler reports pain, it is difficult to know yourself if it is something that requires treatment. This was the case last week. I rang the surgery at 8:15 am on Friday morning, explained that my 3-year old daughter has had a cold and was kept awake at night with a sore ear and that I would like to have this checked by a doctor. I was informed that there were no more appointments for that day and I would have to ring at 8am to get one - in all honesty, this is not always possible when you are at home on your own with a child that is unwell and unhappy. I was then asked if this was an emergency, because if not, I will get an appointment for Monday. This is not the first time a receptionist at the surgery has asked me "is this an emergency?". This is an entierly inappropriate question - if it was an "emergency" I would be on my way to A&E not on the phone to the GP. When I explain to a receptionist that I am worried that my toddler has an ear infection/UTI/tonsilitis, I do not expect to be told that maybe I don't need an appointment on that day, particularly before the weekend. If my child deteriorates further during the weekend, getting to a doctor is much more hassle and certainly at a greater cost for the NHS! I understand that the receptionists job is to make sure that patients do not abuse the system and the doctors' time is used well, but as a parent I feel like they dismiss my concerns and I have to be quite pushy to then be told that I can come for "sit and wait" in the afternoon. This option is always presented as a very bad alternative by the receptionists, but to be honest, if I feel that my child should be seen that day, it is a small sacrifice. And I have never waited longer than 30 mins to be seen - not too different to what you sometimes wait for a normal appointment when the doctor is running late. So please, could you review the receptioninsts "script" for dealing with such situations? They just really don't come across as caring and helpful! It will save much irritation from patients.